Relationships between obesity and prevalence of gout in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a cross-sectional population-based study.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between generalized, abdominal, and visceral fat obesity and the prevalence of gout in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). METHODS: Data were obtained from the electronic medical databases of the National Metabolic Management Center (MMC) of Yuhuan Second People's Hospital and Taizhou Central Hospital (Taizhou University Hospital) between September 2017 and June 2023. Four obesity indicators were analyzed: waist circumference (WC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), body mass index (BMI), and visceral fat area (VFA). The relationships between these parameters and gout prevalence were analyzed using multivariate logistic regression and restricted cubic spline (RCS) analyses. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of the four parameters for gout. RESULTS: This cross-sectional study enrolled 10,535 participants (600 cases and 9,935 controls). Obesity was more common in patients with gout, and the obesity indicators were markedly higher in this group. After adjustment for confounders, obesity, as defined by BMI, WC, WHR, and VFA, was found to be associated with greater gout prevalence, with odds ratios (OR) of 1.775, 1.691, 1.858, and 1.578, respectively (P < 0.001). The gout odds ratios increased markedly in relation to the obesity indicator quartiles (P-value for trend < 0.001), and the obesity indicators were positively correlated with gout prevalence, as shown using RCS. The area under the ROC curve values for BMI, WC, WHR, and VFA were 0.629, 0.651, 0.634, and 0.633, respectively. CONCLUSION: Obesity-whether general, abdominal, or visceral fat obesity-was positively linked with elevated gout risk. But uncovering the causality behind the relationship requires further prospective study. Obesity indicators (BMI, WC, WHR, and VFA) may have potential value for diagnosing gout in clinical practice.

Evaluation of waist-to-calf ratio as a diagnostic tool for sarcopenic obesity: a cross-sectional study from a geriatric outpatient clinic.

BACKGROUND: Proponents argue that a high waist-to-calf ratio (WCR) may indicate an imbalance between muscle and fat in the body, making it a potential predictor for sarcopenic obesity (SO). The WCR is a new index incorporating both measurements, providing a reliable approach for assessing the imbalance between abdominal fat and leg muscle mass. The present study aimed to examine the association of WCR with SO and reveal the predictive effect of SO in community-dwelling older adults. METHODS: The study population was composed of 234 geriatric outpatients with obesity. WCR was calculated by dividing the waist circumference (in cm) by the calf circumference (in cm). SO was defined according to the ESPEN and EASO Consensus Statement. RESULTS: The mean age was 72.7 ± 5.8 years, and 78.7% (n = 175) were female. Eighty-one patients (34.6%) were considered as sarcopenic obese. The WCR was 3.04 [Interquartile range (IQR), 2.88-3.32] in the sarcopenic obese group, and in the nonsarcopenic obese group, it was 2.82 [IQR, 2.7-3.0] (p < 0.001). Independent of age, sex, nutritional and frailty status WCR was associated with SO (OR 12.7, 95% CI 4.0-40.1 and p < 0.001). The cut-off value of WCR for SO was calculated as 2.94 with 72.8% sensitivity and 67.3% specificity (Area Under Curve: 0.72 and Positive likelihood ratio: 2.23, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: WCR, a simple and accessible method, indicates promise as a possible and potential diagnostic tool for SO in community-dwelling older adults.

Association between waist circumference and chronic pain: insights from observational study and two-sample Mendelian randomization.

Background: Current research offers limited clarity on the correlation between waist circumference and chronic pain prevalence. Objective: This investigation seeks to elucidate the potential relationship between waist circumference and chronic pain and their causal association. Methods: An observational study was conducted, leveraging data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) collected between 2001 and 2004. The multivariable logistic regression was used to assess the relationship between waist circumference and chronic pain. Furthermore, a meta-analysis of Mendelian Randomization (MR) was applied to explore a causal relationship between waist circumference and pain. Results: The observational study, post multivariable adjustment, indicated that an increase in waist circumference by 1 dm (decimeter) correlates with a 14% elevation in chronic pain risk (Odds Ratio [OR] = 1.14, 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 1.04-1.24, p = 0.01). Moreover, the meta-analysis of MR demonstrated that an increased waist circumference was associated with a genetic predisposition to pain risk (OR = 1.14, 95%CI: 1.06-1.23, p = 0.0007). Conclusion: Observational analysis confirmed a significant relationship between increased waist circumference and the incidence of chronic pain, and results based on MR Study identified increased waist circumference as potentially causal for pain.

Waist circumference glucose, a novel and effective predictor of type 2 diabetes: a prospective cohort study.

Introduction: Waist circumference (WC) and fasting plasma glucose (FPG) have been demonstrated as risk factors for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Evidence is limited regarding the association of the combination of WC and FPG (WyG) with the risk of T2DM. The primary aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between WyG and T2DM. Research design and methods: The current study was a population-based cohort study using data from the NAGALA database. Participants were divided into tertiles based on WyG. Cox proportional hazard regression model was applied to identify the association of WyG with T2DM. Results: During a median follow-up of 6.19 years in the normoglycemia group and 5.58 years in the prediabetes group, respectively, 88 and 285 individuals in the two groups received a diagnosis of T2DM. After full adjustment, risk of T2DM increased in step-wise fashion with increasing tertiles of WyG. For a per-SD increase in WyG, the hazard ratios for T2DM were 3.05 (95% CI 2.64 - 3.51) in all populations, 1.94 (95% CI 1.46 - 2.58) in the normoglycemia group and 1.63 (95% CI 1.40 - 1.90) in the prediabetes group. The interaction between WyG and fatty liver on T2DM was statistically significant in the prediabetes group (P for interaction = 0.034). Conclusions: Elevated WyG was independently associated with incident T2DM in Japan. Baseline WyG help identify individuals at high risk of T2DM and implement effective preventive measures.

Associations between Global Diet Quality Score and Risk of Metabolic Syndrome and Its Components: Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study.

Background: Various food quality indicators have been proposed as tools for predicting metabolic syndrome (MetS). This study investigated the association between global diet quality score (GDQS) and the risks of developing MetS and its components. Methods: In this secondary analysis, we included elective adult participants (n=4,548) from the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study. Dietary data were collected by a valid and reliable semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. MetS was defined according to the Iranian modified National Cholesterol Education Program. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to estimate the incidence of MetS in association with GDQS. Results: This study involved 1,762 men and 2,786 women with a mean±standard deviation age of 38.6±14.3 and 35.9±11.8 years, respectively. A total of 1,279 subjects developed MetS during the mean follow-up of 6.23 years. Incidence of MetS was associated with GDQS (hazard ratio [HR], 1; 0.90 [95% confidence interval, CI, 0.82 to 0.98]; 0.84 [95% CI, 0.76 to 0.91]; 0.80 [95% CI, 0.73 to 0.89]; P for trend <0.001) after adjusting for confounding variables. The healthy food group component of GDQS was related to MetS incidence. GDQS in the range of 12%-17% in the fourth quartile was associated with a decrease in incidence of MetS components. Both healthy and unhealthy food group components of the GDQS decreased the incidence of high triglycerides, high blood pressure, and high fasting blood glucose. Conclusion: Higher GDQS was associated with a lower risk of the incidence of MetS or its components among Tehranian adults. Higher intake of healthy food group components and lower consumption of unhealthy food group components of the GDQS predicted lower MetS incidence and risk factors.

Impact of a Mediterranean-Inspired Diet on Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of death worldwide. This study focused on evaluating the impact of a Mediterranean-type diet combined with physical exercise on CVD risk factors of high-risk individuals. A randomized clinical trial (RCT) recruited individuals (≥50 years old) with no history of acute myocardial infarction, but with high CVD risk criteria according to the SCORE2/SCORE2 OP. Anthropometric and biochemical parameters were assessed at baseline and after 12 weeks of diet and exercise intervention. Participants were randomly assigned into 3 groups: no intervention group (Group 1a), physical exercise group (Group 1b), and physical exercise (±2 h/week) plus diet group (Group 2). Briefly, the dietary intervention was based on the principles of an isocaloric Mediterranean diet (MD), with seven main meals/week centered on plant-based foods (legumes and pulses). The combined effect of exercise and the diet showed significant decrease in WC (p = 0.002), BST (p < 0.001), visceral fat (p < 0.001), and TG (p = 0.029), compared with control groups. The intervention significantly increased legume intake (p < 0.001), as well as adherence to the MD, which associates with WC decrease (p = 0.024) and visceral fat (p = 0.017). A combined intervention of exercise and diet should be endorsed as an efficient modifier of cardiometabolic parameters.

Association between triglyceride-glucose related indices and all-cause and cause-specific mortality in the general population: a cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Although triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index is a reliable indicator of insulin resistance and cardiometabolic disease, its effectiveness in predicting mortality risk has not been adequately validated. We aimed to investigate the association between the TyG-related indices and all-cause and cause-specific mortality in the general population. METHODS: A total of 27,642 individuals were included from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) between 1999 and 2018. Three indicators were constructed, including the TyG index, TyG combined with waist-to-height ratio (TyG-WHtR), and TyG combined with waist circumference (TyG-WC). Mortality data was acquired through the linkage of NHANES data with National Death Index records. Weighted Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate the independent association between the TyG-related indices and mortality. Nonlinear associations were explored using restricted cubic splines. RESULTS: Multivariable adjusted models showed a progressive increase in all-cause and cause-specific mortality across quartiles of the TyG-related indices. Compared with the lowest quartile of the TyG index, the highest quartile had adjusted hazard ratios of 1.26 (95% CI 1.04-1.52) for all-cause mortality, 1.38 (1.04-1.74) for cardiovascular mortality, and 1.23 (1.01-1.50) for non-cardiovascular mortality, respectively. For the TyG-WHtR index, the corresponding hazard ratios were 1.60 (1.25-2.05), 1.86 (1.26-2.50), and 1.48 (1.10-1.99), respectively. For the TyG-WC index, the corresponding hazard ratios were 1.42 (1.11-1.75), 1.48 (1.04-1.96), and 1.38 (1.05-1.72), respectively. The associations between the three TyG-related indices and all-cause, cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular mortality were J-shaped. Interaction tests revealed significant effect modification by age, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) level, and statin use (all P values < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The TyG-related indices were independent predictors of all-cause and cause-specific mortality in the general population. Young individuals should be particularly vigilant, whereas low LDL-C levels and statin use are potentially protective.

Association of weight-adjusted waist index with cardiovascular disease and mortality among metabolic syndrome population.

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is prevalent and significantly impacts global public health, with obesity being a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and mortality. Traditional metrics like body mass index (BMI) have limitations in assessing obesity-related risks. The weight-adjusted waist circumference index (WWI) has emerged as a novel obesity metric, this study aimed to evaluate the association of WWI with CVD and mortality in MetS patients. This study used data from 12,641 participants with MetS, derived from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) conducted from 1999 to 2020. The WWI was calculated, and its association with CVD and mortality was assessed using multivariate logistic and Cox regression models. The study controlled for potential confounders and performed subgroup and sensitivity analyses to validate the robustness of the findings. The predictive performance of WWI was evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC). Kaplan-Meier (KM) curves further were used to evaluate the associations between WWI and mortality of the MetS population. As WWI values escalated, there was a proportional rise in the risk of CVD and mortality in MetS. The fully adjusted continuous model revealed a 32.0% elevated likelihood of CVD development, a 69.5% increased probability of heart failure (HF), a 51.1% heightened risk for CVD mortality, and a 22.8% augmented risk for all-cause mortality with each one-unit increment in WWI. Comparing the highest to the lowest quartile of WWI, the top quartile exhibited a significantly increased risk of CVD (odds ratio [OR] = 1.883; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.276-2.633, p-value = 0.001), HF (OR = 2.909; 95% CI: 1.490-5.677, p-value = 0.002), CVD mortality (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.088; 95% CI: 1.279-3.409, p-value = 0.003), and all-cause mortality (HR = 1.394; 95% CI: 1.070-1.816, p-value = 0.014) among individuals with MetS. Sensitivity and subgroup analyses substantiated the consistency and stability of these associations across various demographic groups. The ROC analysis demonstrated that WWI outperforms BMI in predicting adverse outcomes in MetS. The KM curves validated that higher WWI values was correlated with diminished survival rates in MetS population. The WWI served as a significant indicator for assessing the risk of CVD and mortality in the MetS population. This study recommended the regular assessment of WWI in MetS individuals for evaluating their risk of CVD and mortality, potentially enhancing preventive and treatment strategies for this patient population.

Lipid accumulation product and type 2 diabetes risk: a population-based study.

BACKGROUND: The Lipid Accumulation Product (LAP) is a measure that indicates excessive fat accumulation in the body. LAP has been the focus of research in epidemiological studies aimed at forecasting chronic and metabolic diseases. This study aimed to evaluate the association between LAP and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) among adults in western Iran. METHODS: The study involved 9,065 adults who participated in the initial phase of the Ravansar non-communicable diseases study (RaNCD) cohort. To investigate the association between LAP and T2DM, multiple logistic regressions were employed. Additionally, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate LAP's predictive ability concerning T2DM. RESULTS: The participants had an average age of 47.24 ± 8.27 years, comprising 49.30% men and 50.70% women. The mean LAP was 53.10 ± 36.60 for the healthy group and 75.51 ± 51.34 for the diabetic group (P < 0.001). The multiple regression analysis revealed that the odds of T2DM in the second quartile of LAP were 1.69 (95% CI: 1.25, 2.29) times greater than in the first quartile. Furthermore, the odds in the third and fourth quartiles were 2.67 (95% CI: 2.01, 3.55) and 3.73 (95% CI: 2.83, 4.92) times higher, respectively. The ROC analysis for predicting T2DM showed that the LAP index had an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.66 (95% CI: 0.64, 0.68). CONCLUSION: A strong association was identified between elevated LAP levels and T2DM in the adult population of western Iran. LAP is recommended as a potential tool for screening diabetes susceptibility.

Association of BMI and WC for insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes among Brazilian adolescents.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate how body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) may be associated with insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes (T2DM) in Brazilian adolescents. METHODS: Cross-sectional study using data from the Brazilian Study of Cardiovascular Risks in Adolescents (ERICA) including adolescents aged 12-17 years. The relationship between adiposity and T2DM was investigated using ordinal logistic regression models. To study the association between adiposity categories and the occurrence of insulin resistance, linear regression models were used. RESULTS: The prevalence of T2DM for the same BMI category did not increase with the presence of high WC. Regarding insulin resistance, for the same BMI categories, having a high WC resulted in a higher prevalence of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). The only groups significantly associated with prediabetes and T2DM were those with obesity by BMI with elevated WC (POR 1.68, 95 % CI 1.45; 1.94) and obesity with normal WC (POR 1.58, 95 % CI 1.01; 2.46). Similar findings were observed concerning insulin resistance, where the increased WC had its greatest effect when associated with obesity by BMI (ß Coefficient 2.20, 95 % CI 1.89; 2.50). CONCLUSION: The combination of BMI and WC is better for assessing adolescents at risk of developing T2DM.

Exploring the relationship between life course adiposity and sepsis: insights from a two-sample Mendelian randomization analysis.

Objectives: The relationship between adiposity and sepsis has received increasing attention. This study aims to explore the causal relationship between life course adiposity and the sepsis incidence. Methods: Mendelian randomization (MR) method was employed in this study. Instrumental variants were obtained from genome-wide association studies for life course adiposity, including birth weight, childhood body mass index (BMI), childhood obesity, adult BMI, waist circumference, visceral adiposity, and body fat percentage. A meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies for sepsis including 10,154 cases and 454,764 controls was used in this study. MR analyses were performed using inverse variance weighted, MR Egger regression, weighted median, weighted mode, and simple mode. Instrumental variables were identified as significant single nucleotide polymorphisms at the genome-wide significance level (P < 5×10-8). The sensitivity analysis was conducted to assess the reliability of the MR estimates. Results: Analysis using the MR analysis of inverse variance weighted method revealed that genetic predisposition to increased childhood BMI (OR = 1.29, P = 0.003), childhood obesity (OR = 1.07, P = 0.034), adult BMI (OR = 1.38, P < 0.001), adult waist circumference (OR = 1.01, P = 0.028), and adult visceral adiposity (OR = 1.53, P < 0.001) predicted a higher risk of sepsis. Sensitivity analysis did not identify any bias in the MR results. Conclusion: The results demonstrated that adiposity in childhood and adults had causal effects on sepsis incidence. However, more well-designed studies are still needed to validate their association.

Interaction of general obesity and abdominal obesity with frailty in patients with chronic kidney disease: a nationally representative analysis.

Background: General and abdominal obesity are prevalent, with established associations to frailty in the elderly. However, few studies have investigated these associations in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), yielding inconsistent results. Methods: This cross-sectional study analysed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES 2003-2018). Frailty was evaluated by the 36-item frailty index. General obesity was defined as a body mass index (BMI) >30 kg/m2; abdominal obesity was identified if waist circumference (WC) reached 102 cm in men and 88 cm in women. The associations of general and abdominal obesity with frailty were analysed using weighted multivariate logistic regression and restricted cubic splines. The interaction of general and abdominal obesity with frailty was examined. Results: A total of 5604 adult patients (median age 71 years, 42% men) with CKD were included in this analysis, with a median estimated glomerular filtration rate of 57.3 ml/min/1.73 m2. A total of 21% were frail with general obesity and 32% were frail with abdominal obesity. Neither general nor abdominal obesity alone was associated with frailty. There was an interaction between general and abdominal obesity with frailty. Compared with individuals with normal BMI and WC, those with both general and abdominal obesity, rather than either alone, exhibited significantly increased odds of frailty {odds ratio [OR] 1.53 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.20-1.95]}. General obesity was associated with being frail only when CKD patients had abdominal obesity [OR 1.59 (95% CI 1.08-2.36)]. Conclusions: There may be an interaction between general and abdominal obesity with frailty in patients with CKD. Interventions aimed at preventing frailty should consider both aspects.

Long-term exposure to transportation noise and obesity: A pooled analysis of eleven Nordic cohorts.

Background: Available evidence suggests a link between exposure to transportation noise and an increased risk of obesity. We aimed to assess exposure-response functions for long-term residential exposure to road traffic, railway and aircraft noise, and markers of obesity. Methods: Our cross-sectional study is based on pooled data from 11 Nordic cohorts, including up to 162,639 individuals with either measured (69.2%) or self-reported obesity data. Residential exposure to transportation noise was estimated as a time-weighted average Lden 5 years before recruitment. Adjusted linear and logistic regression models were fitted to assess beta coefficients and odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) for body mass index, overweight, and obesity, as well as for waist circumference and central obesity. Furthermore, natural splines were fitted to assess the shape of the exposure-response functions. Results: For road traffic noise, the OR for obesity was 1.06 (95% CI = 1.03, 1.08) and for central obesity 1.03 (95% CI = 1.01, 1.05) per 10 dB Lden. Thresholds were observed at around 50-55 and 55-60 dB Lden, respectively, above which there was an approximate 10% risk increase per 10 dB Lden increment for both outcomes. However, linear associations only occurred in participants with measured obesity markers and were strongly influenced by the largest cohort. Similar risk estimates as for road traffic noise were found for railway noise, with no clear thresholds. For aircraft noise, results were uncertain due to the low number of exposed participants. Conclusion: Our results support an association between road traffic and railway noise and obesity.

Bone mineral density and body composition in Australians following plant-based diets vs. regular meat diets.

Background and aims: Bone mineral density (BMD) and body composition play an important role in maintaining metabolic health and physical functioning. Plant-based diets (PBDs) are known to be lower in protein and calcium, which can impact BMD and body composition. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between various PBDs compared to regular meat diet and whole-body BMD, body composition, and weight status. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with adults (n = 240) aged 30-75 years, who habitually followed dietary patterns: vegan, lacto-vegetarian, pesco-vegetarian, semi-vegetarian, or regular meat eater (48 per group). Parameters were measured using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA), and multivariable regression analyses were used to adjust for lifestyle confounders, socioeconomic factors, and BMI. Results: After adjustments, whole-body BMD and body composition were not significantly different between those following PBDs and regular meat diets, except for lacto-ovo vegetarians, who had significantly lower lean mass by -1.46 kg (CI: -2.78, -0.13). Moreover, lacto-ovo vegetarians had a significantly lower T-score by -0.41 SD (CI: -0.81, -0.01) compared to regular meat eaters. Waist circumference was significantly lower in individuals adhering to a PBD compared to a regular meat diet: vegans by -4.67 cm (CI: -8.10, -1.24), lacto-ovo vegetarians by -3.92 cm (CI: -6.60, -1.23), pesco-vegetarians by -3.24 cm (CI: -6.09, -0.39), and semi-vegetarians by -5.18 cm (CI: -7.79, -2.57). There were no significant differences in lean mass (%), fat mass (% and total), android/gynoid measures, body weight, or BMI across dietary patterns. All dietary patterns met the recommended dietary intake for calcium and protein, and 25-hydroxy-vitamin D status was comparable across groups. Conclusions: This cross-sectional study found that adhering to a PBD characterized by varying degrees of dairy and meat restriction is not associated with meaningful changes in BMD or body composition, provided that the dietary patterns are planned appropriately with adequate levels of calcium and protein.

Increased Waist Circumference after One-Year Is Associated with Poor Chewing Status.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between an increase in waist circumference (WC) after 1 year and self-reported chewing status in 10,870 Japanese adults who had received health checkups. Subsequently, 8068 participants were included in the final analysis. METHODS: We defined an increase in WC ≥ 5 cm after 1 year as an unhealthy increase; in total, 613 (7.5%) respondents met this criterion. Chewing status was evaluated using a self-reported questionnaire at baseline; 1080 (13%) respondents were diagnosed with poor chewing status. RESULTS: After adjusting for age, gender, WC, body mass index (BMI), and chewing status, an increase in WC ≥ 5 cm was found to be positively associated with gender (females: odds ratios [ORs]: 1.206; 95% confidence intervals [CIs]: 1.008-1.443), WC (ORs: 0.967; 95% CIs: 0.954-0.981), BMI (≥25 kg/m2; ORs: 2.194; 95% CIs: 1.715-2.808), and chewing status (poor; ORs: 1.356; 95% CIs: 1.084-1.697). CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that increased WC after 1 year was associated with self-reported poor chewing status in Japanese adults.

Usefulness of Body Fat and Visceral Fat Determined by Bioimpedanciometry versus Body Mass Index and Waist Circumference in Predicting Elevated Values of Different Risk Scales for Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.

BACKGROUND: Obesity constitutes a public health problem worldwide and causes non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (MALFD), the leading cause of liver disease in developed countries, which progresses to liver cirrhosis and liver cancer. MAFLD is associated with obesity and can be evaluated by validated formulas to assess MAFLD risk using different parameters such as the body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC). However, these parameters do not accurately measure body fat. As MAFLD is strongly associated with obesity, we hypothesize that measuring body and visceral fat by electrical bioimpedance is an efficient method to predict the risk of MAFLD. The objective of our work was to demonstrate that electrical bioimpedance is a more efficient method than the BMI or WC to predict an elevated risk of MAFLD. METHODS: A cross-sectional, descriptive study involving 8590 Spanish workers in the Balearic Islands was carried out. The study's sample of employees was drawn from those who underwent occupational medicine examinations between January 2019 and December 2020. Five MAFLD risk scales were determined for evaluating very high levels of body fat and visceral fat. The determination of body and visceral fat was performed using bioimpedanciometry. Student's t-test was employed to ascertain the mean and standard deviation of quantitative data. The chi-square test was used to find prevalences for qualitative variables, while ROC curves were used to define the cut-off points for body and visceral fat. The calculations included the area under the curve (AUC), the cut-off points along with their Youden index, sensitivity, and specificity. Correlation and concordance between the various scales were determined using Pearson's correlation index and Cohen's kappa, respectively. RESULTS: As both total body fat and visceral fat increase, the risk of MAFLD increases with a statistically significant result (p < 0.001), presenting a higher risk in men. The areas under the curve (AUC) of the five scales that assess overweight and obesity to determine the occurrence of high values of the different MAFLD risk scales were very high, most of them exceeding 0.9. These AUC values were higher for visceral and body fat than for the BMI or waist circumference. FLD-high presented the best results in men and women with the AUC at around 0.97, both for visceral fat and total body fat, with a high Youden index in all cases (women body fat = 0.830, visceral fat = 0.892; men body fat = 0.780, visceral fat = 0.881). CONCLUSIONS: In our study, all the overweight and obesity scales show a very good association with the scales assessing the risk of MAFLD. These values are higher for visceral and body fat than for waist circumference and the BMI. Both visceral fat and body fat are better associated than the BMI and waist circumference with MAFLD risk scales.

Correlation between obesity and early vascular aging in middle-aged and young adult health check-up populations. / ä¸­é’å¹´å¥åº·ä½“æ£€äººç¾¤è‚¥èƒ–ä¸Žæ—©å‘è¡€ç®¡è€åŒ–çš„ç›¸å ³æ€§.

OBJECTIVES: The obesity rate among middle-aged and young adults in China is increasing annually, and the incidence of cardiovascular diseases is becoming more prevalent in younger populations. However, it has not yet been reported whether obesity is associated with early vascular aging (EVA). This study aims to explore the correlation between obesity and EVA in middle-aged and young adult health check-up populations, providing a reference for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. METHODS: A total of 15 464 middle-aged and young adults aged 18-59 who completed brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) test in the Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University from January to December 2020 were included. Among them, 1 965 individuals with normal blood pressure and no cardiovascular risk factors were selected as the healthy population. The baPWV thresholds for determining EVA in each age group for males and females were calculated based on the baPWV values of the healthy population. The number and percentage of individuals meeting the EVA criteria in the middle-aged and young adult health check-up populations were statistically analyzed by age and gender. The differences in obesity indicators [visceral adiposity index (VAI), body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC)] between the EVA and non-EVA groups for males and females were compared. Using EVA as the dependent variable, VAI, BMI, and WC were included as independent variables in a Logistic model to analyze the correlation between each obesity indicator and EVA before and after adjusting for other influencing factors. Furthermore, the correlation between each obesity indicator and EVA in each age group was analyzed. RESULTS: In the health check-up populations, the detection rate of EVA in different age groups was 1.65%-10.92% for males, and 1.16%-10.50% for females, the detection rate of EVA increased with age in both males and females. Except for the 40-<50 age group, the EVA detection rate was higher in males than in females in all other age groups. Regardless of gender, obesity indicators VAI, BMI, and WC were significantly higher in the EVA group than in the non-EVA group (all P<0.01). Before and after adjusting for other influencing factors, VAI and WC were both correlated with EVA (both P<0.05). BMI was a risk factor for EVA before adjusting for other influencing factors (P<0.01), but after adjustment, the correlation between BMI and EVA was not statistically significant (P=0.05). After adjusting for other influencing factors, the correlation between VAI and EVA was statistically significant in the 18-<40 and 50-<60 age groups (both P<0.05), while the correlation between BMI and WC with EVA was not statistically significant (both P>0.05). In the 40-<50 age group, the correlation between VAI and BMI with EVA was not statistically significant (both P>0.05), but the correlation between WC and EVA was statistically significant (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: VAI is closely related to the occurrence of EVA in middle-aged and young adults aged 18-<40 and 50-<60 years, while WC is closely related to the occurrence of EVA in those aged 40-<50 years.

Evidence of gene-nutrient interaction association with waist circumference, cross-sectional analysis.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Waist circumference (WC) is a significant indicator of body adiposity and is associated with increased mortality and morbidity of cardiovascular diseases. Although, single nutrient intake and candidate genes were previously associated with WC. Little is known about WC association with overall diet quality, genetic risk score and gene-nutrient interaction. This study aims to investigate the influence of overall diet quality and multiple WC-associated single nucleotide polymorphisms on WC. In addition to investigating gene-nutrient interaction association with WC. METHODS: This study explored cross-sectional data from two large sample-size studies, to provide reproducible results. As a representation of the UK population, the Airwave Health Monitoring Study (n = 6,502) and the UK-Biobank Cohort Study (n = 171,129) were explored for factors associated with WC. Diet quality was evaluated based on the Mellen Index for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (Mellen-DASH). The genetic risk score for WC (GRS-Waist) was calculated by screening the population genotype for WC-associated single nucleotide polymorphisms. Multivariate linear regression models were built to explore WC association with diet quality and genetic risk score. Gene-nutrient interaction was explored by introducing the interaction term (GRS-Waist X Mellen-DASH score) to multivariate linear regression analysis. RESULTS: The prevalence of high WC (Female > 80 cm, Male > 94 cm) was 46.5% and 51.7% in both populations. Diet quality and genetic risk score of WC were significantly associated with WC. There was no evidence of interaction between GRS-Waist, DASH diet scores and nutrient intake on WC. CONCLUSION: This study's findings provided reproducible results on waist circumference association with diet and genetics and tested the possibility of gene-nutrient interaction. These reproducible results are successful in building the foundation for using diet and genetics for early identification of those at risk of having high WC and WC-associated diseases. In addition, evidence on gene-diet interactions on WC is limited and lacks replication, therefore our findings may guide future research in investigating this interaction and investigating its application in precision nutrition.

The Relationship of Waist Circumference with the Morbidity of Cardiovascular Diseases and All-Cause Mortality in Metabolically Healthy Individuals: A Population-Based Cohort Study.

Background: This study explores the relationship between waist circumference and morbidity of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and all-cause mortality in metabolically healthy individuals. Methods: A cohort of 5775 metabolically healthy participants from the 2001-2014 US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and National Death Index database was tracked over a median period of 81 months. These participants were divided into quartiles (Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4) based on increasing waist circumference. To compensate for missing covariates, multivariate multiple imputation methods were used. Adjusted logistic regression models were employed to examine the correlation between waist circumference and cardiovascular disease prevalence. Furthermore, Kaplan-Meier curves and multivariable Cox regression analysis were utilized to evaluate the association between waist circumference and all-cause mortality, both qualitatively and quantitatively. Results: The adjusted logistic regression model indicated that a 10 cm increase in waist circumference was associated with a 1.45 times higher prevalence of CVD. As a categorical variable, there was a significant upward trend in CVD incidence across quartiles of waist circumference. The adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) were 2.41 (1.13-5.53) for Q2, 2.65 (1.18-6.39) for Q3, and 2.53 (0.9-7.44) for Q4, compared to Q1. Notably, individuals with high waist circumference showed significantly poorer survival compared to those with low waist circumference (p = 0.008). The Cox regression analysis revealed that each 10 cm increase in waist circumference contributed to an ~8% increase in all-cause mortality. Conclusions: This study underscores a positive correlation between waist circumference and both CVD morbidity and all-cause mortality in metabolically healthy individuals. The findings highlight the significance of routinely monitoring waist circumference for effective CVD risk management, regardless of metabolic health status.