Serum lipid concentrations correlate more strongly with total body fat than with body mass index in obese humans.
BACKGROUND
To investigate the associations of body mass index (BMI) and total body fat (TBF) vs. blood lipid concentrations, we measured six anthropometric parameters, body fat mass, and serum lipid profiles in 1529 apparently healthy adults.


METHODS
TBF was assessed using a body fat analyzer. Serum concentrations of triglyceride, total cholesterol, and low- or high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C or HDL-C) were determined by standard enzymatic procedures.


RESULTS
Serum lipid concentrations were more strongly correlated with TBF than with BMI or waist circumference in both men and women. The mean concentrations of total cholesterol in the subjects with high fatness (TBF>95th percentile) were significantly higher than those for the subjects with low fatness (TBF<5th percentile; p<0.01), but no significant differences were observed in serum lipid levels between overweights (BMI>95th percentile) and underweights (BMI<5th percentile). The incidence of hypercholesterolemia was significantly higher in the subjects with high fatness (TBF>95th percentile) than the corresponding overweight subjects (BMI>95th percentile; p<0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
TBF is more strongly associated with serum lipid concentrations in adults, at least as compared to BMI.
Choi
Jong Weon
JW
Department of Laboratory Medicine, College of Medicine, Inha University Hospital, Jung-gu, Inchon, South Korea. jwchoi@inha.ac.kr
Choe
Hui-Woog
HW
Pai
Soo Hwan
SH
D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000502:physiology*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000886:Anthropometry; D001823:Body Composition / Q000502:physiology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
D008055:Lipids; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol