Factor analysis for the clustering of cardiometabolic risk factors and sedentary behavior, a cross-sectional study

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular disease research
• Public health
• Metabolic syndrome

Background:

• Limited research exists on the clustering of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors like sedentary behavior, inflammation, and cardiometabolic components in the general population.
• Understanding these patterns is crucial for developing effective public health strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the clustering patterns of various CVD risk factors using exploratory factor analysis.
• To investigate the underlying relationships between different CVD risk factors in a large population sample.

Main Methods:

• A total of 5606 subjects were analyzed, divided into an exploratory group (n=3926) and a validation group (n=1676).
• Fourteen cardiovascular risk factors were assessed, including sedentary behaviors, adiposity markers, lipid profiles, blood pressure, and glucose levels.

Main Results:

• Five distinct factor clusters emerged, explaining 69.4% of the total variance: adiposity, lipids, blood pressure, glucose, and sedentary behavior.
• The inflammation biomarker high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (HsCRP) clustered specifically with adiposity factors.
• Sedentary behavior, measured by metabolic equivalent of task (MET) and sitting time, formed its own cluster.

Conclusions:

• The study confirms a defined clustering structure for cardiometabolic risk factors in the general population, incorporating sedentary behavior.
• HsCRP's clustering with adiposity and the grouping of physical inactivity and sedentary behavior provide insights into disease etiology.
• These findings underscore the importance of addressing interconnected risk factors for comprehensive CVD prevention.