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Association of the body adiposity index with metabolic risk factors in young and older overweight and obese women

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 August 2013

M. Siervo
Affiliation:
Human Nutrition Research Centre, Institute for Ageing and Health, Newcastle University, Campus of Ageing and Vitality, Newcastle, NE4 5PL, UK
J. Lara
Affiliation:
Human Nutrition Research Centre, Institute for Ageing and Health, Newcastle University, Campus of Ageing and Vitality, Newcastle, NE4 5PL, UK
C. M. Prado
Affiliation:
Department of Nutrition, Food and Exercise Sciences, The Florida State University, College of Human Sciences, 436 Sandels Building, Tallahassee, FL 32306–1493, USA
B. C. M. Stephan
Affiliation:
Institute for Health and Society, Newcastle University, Framlington Place, Newcastle, NE2 4HH, UK
A. Colantuoni
Affiliation:
Human Nutrition and Physiology, Department of Neuroscience, University of Naples, via Pansini 5, 80134, Naples, Italy
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Abstract

Type
Abstract
Copyright
Copyright © The Authors 2013 

Body mass index (BMI) is an imperfect measure of adiposity. A novel index has been validated (Body Adiposity Index, BAI)( Reference Bergman, Stefanovski, Buchanan, Sumner, Reynolds and Sebring 1 ) for the assessment of fat mass percent (FM%). We tested whether the BAI showed a stronger association with metabolic outcomes than BMI and waist circumference (WC) in a clinical population of overweight and obese women of different ages.

This is a cross-sectional analysis of a representative clinical sample in Southern Italy.

Participants: Body composition and metabolic risk were assessed in 260 young women aged 24.7 (sd=5.3) years, with a mean BMI of 31.0 (sd=5.0) kg/m2 and 328 older women aged 66.9 (sd=4.6) years, with a BMI of 34.8 (sd=4.7) kg/m2 attending a weight loss clinic. Body weight, height, waist and hip circumferences were measured. BMI and BAI were computed. Bioimpedance analysis was used to measure FM. Metabolic risk was assessed using a composite z-score integrating standardized measurements of glucose, total cholesterol, liver enzymes and triglycerides.

The association of BAI with FM% was poor in both young (r=0.56, p<0.001) and older (r=0.49, p<0.001) groups. BAI was directly associated with metabolic risk in young women (r=0.29, p<0.001) whereas it showed a weak, inverse association in the older group (r=−0.14, p=0.01). In a multiple regression model, metabolic risk was significantly associated with WC in young women (B=0.04 (se=0.02) (p=0.03)) and BAI in older women (B=−0.16 (se=0.03) p<0.001)).

In conclusion, a paradoxical association of BAI with a composite metabolic risk score in older overweight and obese women was observed. This suggests that the validity of this novel adiposity index needs to be re-assessed in older individuals in order to be utilised in clinical practice.

References

1. Bergman, RN, Stefanovski, D, Buchanan, TA, Sumner, AE, Reynolds, JC, Sebring, NG et al. (2011) A better index of body adiposity. Obesity (Silver Spring) 19, 10831089.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed