Association of Anthropometric Measurements with Components of Metabolic Syndrome and Carotid Intima-Media Thickness in Young Healthy Taiwanese

BackgroundThe degree of vascular changes and obesity-related metabolic abnormalities may differ from the distribution of body fat. We investigated the association of anthropometric measurements with vascular changes and components of metabolic syndrome (Mets).Materials and methodsOne hundred and eleven volunteers (48 women, 63 men) were recruited. Anthropometric measurements included body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), waist-to-hip circumference ratio (WHR), and waist circumference-to-height ratio (WHeiR). The carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) was measured by using B-mode ultrasonography. Correlations between anthropometric measures, components of Mets, and carotid IMT were analyzed.ResultsAll anthropometric measurements significantly correlated with components of Mets. Carotid IMT correlated with sex, age, blood pressure, body weight, BMI, WC, hip circumference (HC), WHR, WHeiR, fasting plasma glucose, and lipid profile. BMI (r = 0.455) showed the strongest correlation followed by WC (r = 0.405), WHeiR (r = 0.405) and WHR (r = 0.365) with carotid IMT. Only age, sex, and BMI were significant correlates of IMT in multivariate linear analysis.ConclusionGeneral adiposity as measured by BMI, rather than abdominal fat, is significantly correlated with carotid IMT in healthy young Taiwanese individuals.