title: The clinical importance of serum γ-glutamyltransferase level as an early predictor of obesity development in Korean men.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Serum γ-glutamyl transferase (GGT) levels are known to be positively associated with obesity. We aimed at verifying an association between baseline GGT levels and the development of obesity in Korean men.
  
  
  METHODS
  This prospective cohort study was performed on 18,510 initially non-obese Korean men. The total follow-up period was 66,993.3 person years and the average follow-up period was 3.62 years (standard deviation [SD], 1.44). Cox proportional hazards model was used to determine hazard ratios for the risk of obesity development.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found a strong positive association between serum GGT levels at baseline and obesity development, after adjusting for multiple covariates. The risk of obesity development was found to be significantly and dose-dependently associated with serum GGT level. Moreover, estimated hazard ratios for severe obesity (BMI (body mass index) ≥30 kg/m(2)) attributable to serum GGT levels were much higher than those for obesity (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m(2)). The significant association was also found for WC (waist circumference)-defined obesity (WC > 90 cm).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings, which were obtained from a large cohort, indicate that serum GGT is an early predictor of obesity development. Furthermore, this association was remained significant after adjusting for multiple baseline covariates.
authors: Institute of Clinical Research, School of Medicine, Inha University, Incheon, Republic of Korea.
authors: Young Ju
authors: YJ
authors: Suh
authors: Sung Keun
authors: SK
authors: Park
authors: Joong-Myung
authors: JM
authors: Choi
authors: Jae-Hong
authors: JH
authors: Ryoo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D044466:Asian People; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011446:Prospective Studies; D056910:Republic of Korea; D012307:Risk Factors; D055105:Waist Circumference; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase