Impaired lung function is associated with obesity and metabolic syndrome in adults.
OBJECTIVE
Impaired lung function is associated with obesity and insulin resistance. In this study, we investigated the relationship between metabolic syndrome and impaired lung function in adults.


METHODS
A total of 46,514 subjects 20 years and over (21,669 men and 24,845 women, mean age = 37.3 +/- 11.2 and 37.0 +/- 11.3 years, respectively) were recruited from four nationwide MJ Health Screening Centers in Taiwan from 1998 to 2000. Metabolic syndrome was defined using the National Cholesterol Education Panel (NCEP) metabolic syndrome criteria or America Heart Association/National Heart Lung Blood Institute (AHA/NHLBI) criteria. The relationship between metabolic syndrome and lung function test was examined using multivariate logistic regression analysis.


RESULTS
The prevalence of impaired lung function was 11.1% in men and 14.0% in women. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 5.8% using NCEP criteria and 12.8% using AHA/NHLBI criteria. In multivariate logistic regression analysis with adjustment for age, gender, BMI, smoking, alcohol drinking, and physical activity, restrictive lung impairment was independently associated with increased risk of having metabolic syndrome (p < 0.01, odds ratios = 1.221 using NCEP criteria and 1.150 using AHA/NHLBI criteria).


CONCLUSIONS
Obesity and metabolic syndrome were associated with impaired lung function in adults in Taiwan. Our results imply that obesity and insulin resistance may be the common pathways underlying lung function impairment and metabolic syndrome. Moreover, lung function test may be applied as an additional evaluation for metabolic syndrome in a clinical setting.
Lin
Wen-Yuan
WY
Department of Family Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, 7 Chung-Shan South Road, Taipei, Taiwan 100.
Yao
Chien-An
CA
Wang
Hao-Chien
HC
Huang
Kuo-Chin
KC
D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008168:Lung / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012307:Risk Factors; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology