Body fat is associated with reduced aortic stiffness until middle age

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular research
• Vascular aging
• Body composition analysis

Background:

• Obesity is a significant risk factor for cardiometabolic diseases.
• The precise impact of body composition on vascular aging and arterial stiffness is not fully understood.
• Arterial stiffness, particularly central arterial stiffness, is a key indicator of cardiovascular health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between body composition, blood pressure, age, and aortic pulse wave velocity in healthy individuals.
• To determine how body fat percentage influences arterial stiffness across different age groups.
• To explore the adaptive capacity of the cardiovascular system in response to obesity.

Main Methods:

• Cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to measure pulse wave velocity in the thoracic aorta.
• The study included 221 healthy volunteers aged 18-72 years with no history of cardiovascular disease.
• Statistical analyses included univariate and multivariate models, adjusting for age, sex, mean arterial blood pressure, height, and lean mass.

Main Results:

• Age and blood pressure were strongly positively associated with aortic pulse wave velocity.
• Elevated body fat percentage was associated with reduced aortic stiffness in individuals up to 50 years old.
• After age 50, increased body fat percentage showed a positive association with aortic stiffness.
• Body fat percentage was positively associated with cardiac output, independent of age, sex, height, and lean mass.

Conclusions:

• The cardiovascular system in younger adults may adapt to obesity, mitigating adverse effects on aortic stiffness.
• An adverse association between body fat and aortic stiffness becomes apparent only in later life.
• These findings highlight the complex, age-dependent interplay between body composition and vascular health.