J Korean Acad Fam Med.  2006 May;27(5):352-357.

Relationship between Percent Body Fat and Cardiovascular Risk Factors for Normal Weight Adults

• Han JH
• Kim SM

Abstract

BACKGROUND: To investigate the relationship between adiposity and risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) in normal weight individuals.
METHODS
The study subjects were those over 19 years old, less than 23 kg/m2 of body mass index (BMI). They were examined in a health promotion center of a general hospital from June to November, 2001 (309 men and 369 women). Height, weight, BMI, blood pressure (BP), serum lipids and fasting blood glucose (FBS) were checked. Percent body percent (%BF) was obtained by bioelectrical method. Normal weight subjects were divided into two groups according to their %BF; then, the groups were evaluated for the presence of CVD risk factors.
RESULTS
The average age of the study subjects was 43.66+/-11.26 years old in men and 41.11+/-10.90 years old in women. The average BMI was 21.15+/-1.47 kg/m2 in men and 20.68+/-1.53 kg/m2 in women. High %BF group showed significantly increased frequency of higher BP, FBS, total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG) and LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) compared with low %BF group in both sexes. In men, odds ratios (ORs) of the high %BF group with respect to the low %BF group were significantly high for BP and TG elevation. ORs of the high %BF group were significantly high for FBS, TC, LDL-C and TG elevation in women. ORs for more than one CVD risk factor was 2.46 (1.38~4.38) in men and 1.50 (0.95~2.36) in women.
CONCLUSION
Increased %BF was related to cardiovascular risk factors in normal weight subjects. The result was more significant for normal weight men than normal weight women.

Keyword

normal weight; body mass index; percent body fat; cardiovascular risk factors

MeSH Terms

Adipose Tissue*
Adiposity
Adult*
Blood Glucose
Blood Pressure
Body Mass Index
Cardiovascular Diseases
Cholesterol
Fasting
Female
Health Promotion
Hospitals, General
Humans
Male
Odds Ratio
Risk Factors*
Triglycerides
Blood Glucose
Cholesterol