The Relationship between High-sensitive C- reactive Protein and Different Obese Types in Middle-aged Koreans

Joo, Nam Seok; Kim, Hae Jin; Lee, Eun Joo; Park, Sat Byul

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Obesity and metabolic syndrome are closely correlated where previous studies showed that adipocytes release many inflammatory substances. HsCRP is an indicator of an independent risk factor in coronary heart disease. The aim of this study was to investigate the difference of hsCRP in different types of obese patients.
METHODS
We analyzed the data of 7,183 middle-aged Korean adults between the ages of 40 and 60 (men 4,147 and women 3,036) by using a cross-sectional approach. We divided study subjects into 4 different groups; Normal Group (NG; normal waist and normal body mass index), Centrally Obese Group (OB1; Non-obese group with central obestiy), Obese Group without central obesity (OB2) and Obese Group with central obesity (OB3). We compared the difference of anthropometry, metabolic parameters, and hsCRP.
RESULTS
Waist circumference (r=0.230, P<.001) and body mass index (r=0.222, P<.001) positively corresponded with high levels of hsCRP. Higher values of hsCRP were found in the OB3 compared to the NG. However, there was no difference between the OB1 and the OB2. The subjects who had central obesity or the metabolic syndrome showed high hsCRP values. The hsCRP values were the highest in subjects who had central obesity with the metabolic syndrome. But, the value of hsCRP was not significantly different in central obesity subjects with or without the metabolic syndrome.
CONCLUSION
The highest value of hsCRP was significantly shown in the obese group with central obesity. However, there were no differences found in the hsCRP levels between the non-obese group with central obesity and the obese group without central obesity.