Adverse effects of abdominal obesity on lipoprotein lipids in healthy older men

Individuals with abdominal obesity are at increased risk for the development of coronary artery disease (CAD). This study examines whether an abdominal fat distribution, indexed by the waist to hip ratio (WHR), is associated with an atherogenic lipoprotein lipid profile independent of the degree of obesity (percent body fat) and maximal aerobic capacity (VO2max) in 127 older (60 +/- 8 years, mean +/- SD) normotensive, nonsmoking, nondiabetic men. Compared to men with WHR below the population mean (< 0.96, low WHR), men with high WHR (> 0.96) had higher triglycerides (TG) (124 +/- 47 vs. 93 +/- 48 mg/dl, p < 0.001) and lower high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (34 +/- 7 vs 41 +/- 9 mg/dl, p < 0.001) levels with no difference in low density cholesterol (LDL-C) levels. Plasma TG levels were positively associated with both percent body fat (r = 0.50, p < 0.0001) and WHR (r = 0.49, p < 0.0001), and negatively with VO2max (r = -0.36, p < 0.0001), whereas plasma HDL-C levels were negatively associated with percent body fat (r = -0.50, p < 0.0001) and WHR (r = -0.54, p < 0.0001), and positively with VO2max (r = 0.45, p < 0.0001). Independent relationships between WHR and both plasma TG (r = 0.30, p < 0.001) and HDL-C (r = -0.34, p < 0.0001) remained after correction for both percent body fat and VO2max. Using analysis of covariance, the differences in TG and HDL-C between groups remained after adjustment for percent body fat and VO2max. These results suggest that in older men, an abdominal distribution of body fat, independent of both percent body fat and VO2max, is associated with elevated TG and low HDL levels, thus increasing the risk for CAD.