Clustering of obesity-related characteristics: A latent class analysis from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging

Alessandra T Andreacchi; Urun Erbas Oz; Carol Bassim; Lauren E Griffith; Alexandra Mayhew; Marie Pigeyre; Saverio Stranges; Chris P Verschoor; Laura N Anderson

doi:10.1016/j.ypmed.2021.106739

Clustering of obesity-related characteristics: A latent class analysis from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging

Prev Med. 2021 Dec:153:106739. doi: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2021.106739. Epub 2021 Jul 21.

Authors

Alessandra T Andreacchi¹, Urun Erbas Oz¹, Carol Bassim¹, Lauren E Griffith², Alexandra Mayhew², Marie Pigeyre³, Saverio Stranges⁴, Chris P Verschoor⁵, Laura N Anderson⁶

Affiliations

¹ Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, 1280 Main St. West, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4L8, Canada.
² Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, 1280 Main St. West, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4L8, Canada; Labarge Centre for Mobility in Aging, McMaster University, MIP Suite 109A, 1280 Main St. West, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1, Canada; McMaster Institute for Research on Aging, McMaster University, MIP Suite 109A-175 Longwood Rd. South, Hamilton, Ontario L8P 0A1, Canada.
³ Population Health Research Institute, David Braley Cardiac, Vascular and Stroke Research Institute, 20 Copeland Ave., Hamilton, Ontario L8L 2X2, Canada; Department of Medicine, McMaster University, 1200 Main St. West, Hamilton, Ontario L8N 3Z5, Canada.
⁴ Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, 1465 Richmond St., Western Centre for Public Health and Family Medicine, London, ON, N6G 2M1, Canada; Department of Family Medicine, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, 1465 Richmond St., Western Centre for Public Health and Family Medicine, London, Ontario N6G 2M1, Canada; Department of Population Health, Luxembourg Institute of Health, 1A-B, rue Thomas Edison, L-1445 Strassen, Luxembourg; Department of Medicine, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, Room E6-117 - 800 Commissioners Rd. East, London, ON N6A 5W9, Canada.
⁵ Health Sciences North Research Institute, 56 Walford Rd., Sudbury, Ontario P3E 2H3, Canada.
⁶ Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, 1280 Main St. West, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4L8, Canada; Centre for Health Economics and Policy Analysis, McMaster University, 1280 Main St. West, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1, Canada. Electronic address: LN.Anderson@mcmaster.ca.

PMID: 34298025
DOI: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2021.106739

Abstract

Measures of obesity, including body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC), do not fully capture the complexity of obesity-related health risks. This study identified distinct classes of obesity-related characteristics and evaluated their associations with BMI, WC, and percent body fat (%BF) using cross-sectional data from 30,096 participants aged 45-85 in the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (2011-2015). Sixteen obesity-related variables, including behavioural, metabolic, physical health, and mental health/social factors, were included in a latent class analysis to identify distinct classes of participants. Adjusted odds ratios (OR) were estimated from logistic regression for associations between each class and obesity defined by BMI, WC and %BF. Six latent classes were identified: "low-risk" (39.8%), "cardiovascular risk" (19.4%), "metabolic risk" (16.9%), "sleep and mental health risk" (12.1%), "multiple and complex risk" (6.7%), and "cardiometabolic risk" (5.1%). Compared to "low-risk", all classes had increased odds of BMI-, WC- and %BF-defined obesity. For example, the "complex and multiple risk" class was associated with obesity by BMI (OR: 10.70, 95% confidence interval (CI): 9.51, 12.04), WC (OR: 9.21, 95% CI: 8,15, 10,41) and %BF (OR: 7.54, 95% CI: 6.21, 9.16). Distinct classes of obesity-related characteristics were identified and were strongly associated with obesity defined by multiple measures.

Keywords: Anthropometric measure; Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging; Latent class analysis; Obesity; Older adults.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Aging*
Body Mass Index
Canada / epidemiology
Cross-Sectional Studies
Humans
Latent Class Analysis
Longitudinal Studies
Middle Aged
Obesity* / epidemiology
Risk Factors
Waist Circumference

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Grants and funding