Intra-abdominal adipose tissue deposition and parity.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the relationship between body composition/fat distribution and parity after adjusting for potential confounders: age, smoking, and physical activity.


METHODS
Cross-sectional.


METHODS
A total of 170 Caucasian women between the ages of 18 and 76 years, who were non-smokers with no cardiovascular disease, diabetes, metabolic, or endocrine disorders.


METHODS
Physical activity assessment (Baecke Physical Activity Questionnaire), anthropometric measures, and body composition (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, computed tomography).


RESULTS
Although percent body fat was related to parity (r=0.26, P<0.01), after adjusting for age, physical activity index, and smoking, the parity-percent body fat relationship was no longer significant. Multiple regression analysis for modeling intra-abdominal adipose tissue demonstrated that parity and intra-abdominal adipose tissue were significantly related after adjusting for percent body fat, physical activity index, and smoking (partial r=0.18, P=0.02, unstandardized beta=5.22+/-2.26, intercept=-37.32+/-24.63).


CONCLUSIONS
Our data suggest that intra-abdominal adipose tissue increases with increasing parity, even after adjusting for potential confounders: age, percent body fat, physical activity, and smoking.
Blaudeau
T E
TE
Department of Human Studies and Nutrition Sciences, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294-1250, USA. blaudeau@uab.edu
Hunter
G R
GR
Sirikul
B
B
D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon / Q000379:methods; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000886:Anthropometry / Q000379:methods; D001824:Body Constitution / Q000502:physiology; D050218:Body Fat Distribution; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D050152:Intra-Abdominal Fat / Q000502:physiology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology; D010298:Parity; D011247:Pregnancy; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed