Association between adiposity distribution and low-grade systemic inflammation: Tackling multicollinearity

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Health
• Metabolic Syndrome Research
• Obesity Studies

Background:

• Low-grade systemic inflammation is a key factor in metabolic and cardiovascular diseases.
• Adiposity distribution, beyond overall body fat, plays a crucial role in metabolic health.
• Understanding the relationship between specific fat depots and inflammation is vital for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between different measures of adiposity distribution and low-grade systemic inflammation.
• To evaluate statistical methods for addressing multicollinearity among adiposity variables.
• To explore sex-specific differences in the inflammatory impact of fat distribution.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional analysis of 987 adults from the EPITeen cohort.
• Adiposity assessed using whole-body dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA).
• Systemic inflammation measured by serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP); analyzed using linear regression models stratified by sex, accounting for multicollinearity.

Main Results:

• Total body fat was positively associated with hsCRP in both women (β=0.332) and men (β=0.256).
• Trunk fat showed a statistically significant positive association with hsCRP in men (β=0.130) but not in women (β=0.019).
• Limb fat showed a statistically significant negative association with hsCRP in men (β=-0.136) but not in women (β=-0.014).

Conclusions:

• Overall adiposity contributes to systemic inflammation.
• Trunk fat is a more significant predictor of inflammation than limb fat, especially in men.
• Statistical approaches must account for multicollinearity in adiposity variables, though simpler models may suffice.