Gender differences in obesity related cardiovascular risk factors in Spain

Obesity and overweight are increasing progressively leading to an increase in cardiovascular risk factors and cardiovascular events.

The MESYAS Registry (Metabolic Syndrome in Active Subjects) recruited active workers from their annual health examinations in Spain through 2003. Body mass index was used to diagnose overweight and obesity. Metabolic syndrome (MS) and risk factors were assessed according to the ATP-III definitions.

19,041 subjects were included (80% males), mean age 42.2 (10.7). The prevalence of overweight was 44.6% (44.0-45.2), obesity 17.3% (17.0-17.5) and MS 12.0% (11.8-12.2). Women had lower prevalence of all cardiovascular risk factors. Multivariate analysis showed independent associations between overweight (OR: 2.4; 95% CI 2.2-2.6) or obesity (OR: 5.3; 95% CI 4.7-5.9) and any other two MS criteria. Overweight and obesity were independently associated with all cardiovascular risk factors, except low high-density lipoproteins in women. Significantly higher association was found in women between obesity and diabetes (OR: 13.6; 95% CI 3.8-48.6), MS (OR: 10.6; 7.6-14.8), hypertriglyceridemia (OR: 8.6; 95% CI 5.6-13.1), and impaired fasting glucose (OR: 3.7; 95% CI 2.7-5.3).

Overweight and obesity are strongly related to classical cardiovascular risk factors, atherogenic dyslipidaemia and MS. Obesity has higher association to insulin-resistance related risk factors in women.