Body Fat Distribution and Its Association with Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Adolescent Iranian Girls

authors:

avatar Mohammad-Taghi Shakeri 1 , avatar Noor Aini Mohd Yusoff 2 , avatar Mohammad-Reza Parizadeh 3 , avatar Majid Ghayour-Mobarhan 3 , * , avatar Suzana Shahar 4 , avatar Naghmeh Zahra Mirhosseini 4

Department of Statistics, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences (MUMS), Mashhad, Iran
Faculty of Therapeutic Sciences, Masterskill University College of Health Sciences, Selangor Dural Ehsan, Malaysia
Biochemistry of Nutrition Research Center and Cardiovascular Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
Nutrition and Dietetic Department, Faculty of Allied Health Science, University Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

how to cite: Shakeri M, Aini Mohd Yusoff N, Parizadeh M, Ghayour-Mobarhan M, Shahar S, et al. Body Fat Distribution and Its Association with Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Adolescent Iranian Girls. Iran J Pediatr. 2012;22(2): 197-204. 

Abstract

Objective: The relationships between body fat distribution, lipid profile and blood pressure, have not been studied extensively in young population. This study was designed to evaluate the association between measures of adiposity and established cardiovascular risk factors in adolescent girls.
Methods: A total of 477 adolescent girls aged 15 to 18 years were recruited from Mashhad high schools. Socio-demographic characteristics were assessed using a self-administered questionnaire.  Anthropometric assessments, blood pressure measurement and biochemical assessment were performed. Total and regional fat mass were determined by bio-impedance analysis. Cardiovascular disease risk factors were assessed in relation to body fat measures with adjustment for confounder factors including age and family socioeconomic status.
Findings: The prevalence of overweight and obesity was 14.6% and 3.4% respectively; 16% of study population had greater fat mass compared to its ideal distribution.  The majority of cardiovascular risk factors, especially systolic and diastolic blood pressure, triglyceride concentration, CRP and fasting blood sugar were significantly higher in group with a high body fat when compared to those with normal and low values. All anthropometric indices showed significant correlation with fat mass, fat free mass, total and regional body fat percent (P<0.001). After adjustment for age and family socioeconomic status, a high fat mass especially, truncal fat, was positively associated with triglyceride and blood pressure.
Conclusion: Adiposity, especially truncal adiposity, which can be assessed by simple measures such as Body Mass Index (BMI) and Waist Circumference (WC) may predispose adolescent girls for demonstration of metabolic abnormalities and consequently cardiovascular diseases.
 

Fulltext

Click here to download PDF.

References

  • 1.

    References are available in PDF.