[Influence of body fat and its distribution on cardiovascular risk factors in healthy subjects]

The aim of this work was to study the association between obesity and body fat distribution with known cardiovascular risk factors. Seven hundred eighty two healthy individuals, 634 men and 148 female age 44 +/- 10 years were studied. Multiple stepwise regression models were performed in which cardiovascular risk factors (total, LDL and HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, fasting and postprandial blood glucose, systolic and diastolic blood pressure) were considered as the dependent variable and age, sex, smoking habits, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), waist hip ratio (WHR), subscapular/tricipital skinfold ratio (STR) and percentage of total body fat (%BF), derived from the sum of four skinfolds, as the independent variables. Among anthropometric variables, WC was the principal predictor of total cholesterol and basal blood glucose, WHR was the principal predictor of HDL cholesterol (inverse relationship) and triglycerides; BMI was the principal predictor of systolic and diastolic blood pressure; %BF was the principal predictor of post prandial blood glucose. Performing the same analysis in a subgroup of patients with a BMI between 21 and 24, measures of fat distribution continued to be predictors of cardiovascular risk factors. It is concluded that both total body fat and its distribution are related to cardiovascular risk factors and, in some cases, may have an additive effect and should be measured in preventive medical examinations.