Korean and Caucasian overweight premenopausal women have different relationship of body mass index to percent body fat with age.
The aim of the study was to investigate in premenopausal women whether the relationship between percentage body fat (PBF) and body mass index (BMI; in kg/m2) differs between Korean Asians (Ko-As) living in Seoul, South Korea, and Caucasians (Ca) living in New York City. Healthy premenopausal women (50 Ko-As; 38 Ca), ages 22-50 yr, were studied. Weight, height, and PBF by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry were measured. Total body dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry data were collected using GE-Lunar systems (Prodigy-Korea and DPXL-New York), and all scan analyses were performed by one technician in New York. Similar soft tissue phantoms were used for daily instrument calibrations at both sites. The relationship between PBF and BMI was assessed by multiple regression analysis with race, age, reciprocal of BMI (1/BMI), and a race-by-age interaction as the final independent variables. Race (P = 0.003) and 1/BMI (P < 0.001) were significantly related to PBF in this model. A significant race-by-age interaction (P = 0.039) indicated that the slope of the lines for PBF vs. age differed between Ko-As and Ca. This study demonstrates in a Ko-As sample that the BMI-fat relationship differs significantly from that in a comparable group of Caucasian women. Investigators who use BMI as an index of fatness should be aware of the well documented differences in the relationship of BMI and fatness across race/ethnic groups.
Chung
Sochung
S
Department of Medicine, Obesity Research Center, St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital and College of Physicians & Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY 10025, USA.
Song
Mi-Yeon
MY
Shin
Hyun-Dae
HD
Kim
Deog-Yoon
DY
He
Qing
Q
Heshka
Stan
S
Wang
Jack
J
Thornton
John
J
Laferrère
Blandine
B
Pi-Sunyer
F Xavier
FX
Gallagher
Dympna
D
D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000375:Aging; D044466:Asian People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009518:New York / Q000453:epidemiology; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D017697:Premenopause; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data