Affiliations: [a] Health and Exercise Science Laboratory, Institute of Sports Science, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea | [b] Sports and Health Care Major, College of Humanities and Arts, Korea National University of Transportation, Chungju-si, Korea
Correspondence:
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Corresponding author: Wi-Young So, Sports and Health Care Major, College of Humanities and Arts, Korea National University of Transportation, 50 Daehak-ro, Chungju-si, Chungbuk 27469, Korea. Tel.: +82 43 841 5993; Fax: +82 43 841 5990; E-mail:[email protected]
Abstract: Body circumference is a known health-related factor. This cross-sectional
study aimed to investigate the associations of relative lower body
circumferences with metabolic syndrome (MetS) and arterial stiffness (AS) in
684 men aged > 40 (mean, 54.6 ± 8.5) years. Participants were measured
for waist, thigh, and calf circumferences; underwent blood tests and blood
pressure measurements to detect MetS; and received brachial ankle pulse wave
velocity measurements to measure AS. The waist-to-thigh, waist-to-calf, and
thigh-to-calf circumferences were calculated and classified into quartiles.
Age-adjusted multiple logistic regression models were used to assess the
associations between the circumference ratios and AS vs. non-AS and MetS vs.
non-MetS (systolic and diastolic blood pressure, triglycerides, high-density
lipoprotein cholesterol, and fasting plasma glucose). The mean body mass
index was 24.9 ± 2.8 kg/m2; the mean waist, thigh, and calf
circumferences were 87.4 ± 7.6, 53.8 ± 4.2, and 36.4 ± 2.7
cm, respectively. Compared to the lowest quartiles, participants in
waist-to-thigh circumference quartiles 3 (odds ratio [OR] = 3.195, 95%
confidence interval [CI] = 1.825-5.594, p < 0.001) and 4 (OR = 4.755,
95% CI = 2.715-8.325, p < 0.001), and participants in waist-to-calf
circumference quartiles 2 (OR = 2.511, 95% CI = 1.397-4.511, p = 0.002),
3 (OR = 3.929, 95% CI = 2.076-7.435, p < 0.001), and 4 (OR = 5.298,
95% CI = 2.847-9.858, p < 0.001) had significantly greater risks of
MetS; participants in waist-to-calf circumference quartile 4 (OR = 2.481,
95% CI = 1.477-4.167, p < 0.001) and participants in waist-to-calf
circumference quartile 4 (OR = 1.763, 95% CI = 1.088-2.856, p = 0.021)
had a significantly greater risk of AS, indicating that age-adjusted
relative lower body circumferences associate with MetS and AS. Large thigh
and calf circumferences may indicate reduced risks for cardiovascular
disease.
Keywords: Arterial stiffness, body circumference, metabolic syndrome
