Association between obesity measures and albuminuria: A population-based study

AimsThe effects of obesity on the micro vascular diseases have drawn much attention. The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between obesity measures and albuminuria in Chinese population.MethodsWe conducted a population-based cross-sectional study in 8600 subjects aged 40 years or older from a community in Guangzhou. Urinary albumin excretion and creatinine were measured and urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR) was calculated as urinary albumin divided by creatinine. Low-grade albuminuria was classified as the highest quartile of ACR in participants without increased urinary albumin excretion. Increased urinary albumin excretion was defined according to the ACR ranges greater or equal than 30 mg/g.ResultsPearson's correlation analysis and multivariate linear regression analysis revealed that body mass index (BMI), waist circumference and body fat content were significantly correlated with ACR (all P < 0.01). Prevalence of low-grade albuminuria and increased urinary albumin excretion gradually increased across the BMI, waist circumference and body fat content quartiles (all P for trend < 0.0001). Compared with participants in quartile 1 of BMI, waist circumference and body fat content, participants in quartile 4 had increased prevalence of low-grade albuminuria and increased urinary albumin excretion in logistic regression analysis after adjustment for age, sex, physical activity, fasting plasma glucose, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and HbA1c (all P < 0.05).ConclusionObesity measures are associated with urinary albumin excretion in middle-aged and elderly Chinese.