title: Body fat, abdominal fat and body fat distribution related to cardiovascular risk factors in prepubertal children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We analysed whether total body fat (TBF), abdominal fat and body fat distribution are associated with higher composite risk factor scores for cardiovascular disease (CVD) in young children.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study of 238 children aged 8-11 years. TBF and abdominal fat mass (AFM) were measured by Dual-Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry. TBF was expressed as a percentage of body weight (BF%). Body fat distribution was calculated as AFM/TBF. Maximal oxygen uptake (VO(2PEAK) ), systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP, DBP), and resting heart rate (RHR) were measured. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) and pulse pressure (PP) were calculated. Left atrial diameter (LA) was measured, and left ventricular mass (LVM) and relative wall thickness (RWT) were calculated. Z-scores were calculated. Sum of z-scores for SBP, DBP, MAP, PP, RHR, LVM, LA, RWT and -VO(2PEAK) was calculated in boys and girls, separately, and used as composite risk factor score.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pearson correlations between ln BF%, ln AFM and AFM/TBF versus composite risk factor score for boys were r = 0.56, r = 0.59 and r = 0.48, all p < 0.001, and for girls r = 0.45, r = 0.50 and r = 0.48, all p < 0.001.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Total body fat, abdominal fat and body fat distribution were all associated with higher composite risk factor scores for CVD in young children.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, Unit of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine, Skåne University Hospital, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden. magnus.dencker@skane.se
authors.forename: Magnus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dencker
authors.forename: Per
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wollmer
authors.forename: Magnus K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Karlsson
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lindén
authors.forename: Lars B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Andersen
authors.forename: Ola
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Thorsson
mesh_terms: D050153:Abdominal Fat; D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D050154:Adiposity; D001794:Blood Pressure; D050218:Body Fat Distribution / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D006339:Heart Rate; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D014463:Ultrasonography