title: Sex differences in body fat distribution and carotid intima media thickness: cross sectional survey using data from the British regional heart study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the role of central adiposity in explaining sex differences in carotid intima media thickness (IMT).
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross sectional survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two British towns.
  
  
  METHODS
  800 men and women aged 56-75 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  Carotid IMT.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a continuous linear association between waist-hip ratio and IMT in both men and women. The magnitude of the association between waist to hip ratio and IMT was identical in both sexes. In age adjusted analyses IMT was 14% greater in men compared with women (age adjusted male to female ratio of geometric means 1.14; 95% confidence interval 1.07 to 1.21) with adjustment for waist to hip ratio this attenuated to no difference (1.00; 0.92 to 1.09). Adjustment for body mass index and for lifestyle risk factors had very little effect on the sex difference in mean intima media thickness.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sex differences in body fat distribution may explain sex differences in arterial atherosclerosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Medicine, University of Bristol, UK. d.a.lawlor@bristol.ac.uk
authors.forename: Debbie A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Lawlor
authors.forename: Shah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ebrahim
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Whincup
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sterne
authors.forename: Olia
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Papacosta
authors.forename: Goya
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wannamethee
authors.forename: Surinder
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dhanjil
authors.forename: Maura
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Griffin
authors.forename: Andrew N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Nicolaides
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Davey Smith
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001824:Body Constitution; D015992:Body Mass Index; D017536:Carotid Artery, Common / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000209:etiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004739:England; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000033:anatomy & histology*