Effect of Obesity and Blood Lipid Profiles on Hyperlipidemia in Adults Aged Over 40 Years

Nam, Sang Myung; Ha, Eun Hee; Suh, Young Ju; Park, Hyesook; Chang, Moon Hee; Seo, Ju Hee; Kim, Byung Mi

Abstract

BACKGROUND: This study was conducted to investigate the relationship between the indices of obesity and risk of hyperlipidemia, and also to recommend healthy Body mass index (BMI) and percent body fat (BF %), that would be appropriate for Korean adults.
METHODS
A cross-sectional study was carried out in Ewha hospital since June 2005 until December 2005. Subjects (n = 1121) were recruited from the participants of the biannual health examination (provided for those over 40 years old) who consented to participate in this study.
RESULTS
When using BMI as a criterion for obesity, total and LDL-cholesterol levels of hyperlipidemic and normal body weight group were much higher than hyperlipidemic obesity group. However, when applying BF (%) as a criterion for obesity, total and LDL-cholesterol levels of hyperlipidemic obesity group were not different from those of normal group. But serum lipid levels in the hyperlipidemic obesity group were significantly higher than those in the hyperlipidemic and normal body weight group. Adjusted odds ratio of HDL-cholesterol to total cholesterol of hyperlipidemic obesity group was higher than that of hyperlipidemic and normal body weight group by using BF (%). The atherosclerotic index (AI) and the ratio of HDL to total cholesterol of the hyperlipidemic obesity group were significantly higher than those of the hyperlipidemic and normal body weight group.
CONCLUSION
This study shows that the criterion of BMI, according to the WHO standard for obesity, is not valid for Koreans, instead BF (%) is valid and is an adequate predictor for obesity rather than BMI. We conclude that obesity is one of the factors that increase the risk for hyperlipidemia.