Five-year changes in adiposity and cardio-metabolic risk factors among Guatemalan young adults.
BACKGROUND
Rapidly transitioning societies are experiencing dramatic increases in obesity and cardio-metabolic risk; however, few prospective studies from developing countries have quantified these increases or described their joint relationships.


METHODS
We collected dietary, physical activity, demographic, anthropometric and cardio-metabolic risk factor data from 376 Guatemalan young adults in 1997-98 (aged 20-29 years) and in 2002-04 (aged 25-34 years).


RESULTS
In total, 42 % of men and 56 % of women experienced weight gain >5 kg in 5 years. Percent body fat (%BF) and waist circumference (WC) increased by 4.2 % points and 5.5 cm among men, and 3.2 % points and 3.4 cm among women, respectively. Five-year increases in both %BF and WC were associated with lower physical activity, urban residence and shorter height among men but not among women (test for heterogeneity P < 0.05 for residence and physical activity). Changes in %BF and WC and concomitant changes in cardio-metabolic risk factors were similar for men and women. In standardised regression, change in %BF was associated with changes in TAG (beta=0.19; 95 % CI 0.08, 0.30), total:HDL cholesterol (beta=0.22; 95 % CI 0.12, 0.33) and systolic (beta=0.22; 95 % CI 0.12, 0.33) and diastolic (beta=0.18; 95 % CI 0.08, 0.28) blood pressure, but not with glucose; associations were similar for WC.


CONCLUSIONS
Over 5 years this relatively young population of Guatemalan adults experienced rapid increases in multiple measures of adiposity, which were associated with adverse changes in lipid and blood pressure levels.
Gregory
Cria O
CO
Graduate Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
Martorell
Reynaldo
R
Narayan
K M
KM
Ramirez-Zea
Manuel
M
Stein
Aryeh D
AD
D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000378:metabolism*; D000328:Adult; D000886:Anthropometry; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D001823:Body Composition / Q000502:physiology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006166:Guatemala / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D050356:Lipid Metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D055105:Waist Circumference; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult
D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol