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Publications

Journal Article Epublish

PubMed: 42835462 DOI: 10.1210/jendso/bvag197

Cross-sectional evaluation of anthropometric measures vs MRI-measured visceral and hepatic fat in a Canadian cohort.

J Endocr Soc 10(11):bvag197

Authors: Baraa K Al-Khazraji, Russell J de Souza, Dipika Desai, Jean-Pierre Després, Trevor J B Dummer, Celine Funk, Vikki Ho, Scott A Lear, Jonathon Leipsic, Alan R Moody, Michael D Noseworthy, Grace E Parraga, Paul Poirier, Karleen M Schulze, Jean-Claude Tardif, Jennifer E Vena, Salim Yusuf, Sonia S Anand

Affiliations

  • Department of Kinesiology, Faculty of Science, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada.
  • Mary Heersink School of Global Health and Social Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada.
  • Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada.
  • Population Health Research Institute, Hamilton Health Sciences Corporation, Hamilton, ON L8L 2X2, Canada.
  • VITAM - Centre de Recherche en Santé Durable, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1J 2G1, Canada.
  • Centre Intégré Universitaire de Santé et Services Sociaux de la Capitale-Nationale, Québec, QC G1C 3S2, Canada.
  • Département de Kinésiologie, Faculté de Médecine, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1J 2G1, Canada.
  • School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada.
  • Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada.
  • Health Innovation and Evaluation Hub, Centre de recherche du Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), Montréal, QC H2X 0A9, Canada.
  • Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC H3T 1A8, Canada.
  • Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada.
  • Department of Radiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada.
  • Department of Medical Imaging, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada.
  • Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Department of Medical Imaging, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada.
  • Robarts Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON N6A 5K8, Canada.
  • Department of Medical Biophysics, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON N6A 3K7, Canada.
  • Faculté de Pharmacie, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada.
  • Centre de Recherche de l'Institut Universitaire de Cardiologie et de Pneumologie de Québec (IUCPQ), Université Laval, Québec, QC G1V 4G5, Canada.
  • Montreal Heart Institute, Montréal, QC H1T 1C8, Canada.
  • Alberta's Tomorrow Project, Cancer Research & Analytics, Cancer Care Alberta, Alberta Health Services, Calgary, AB T2E 7E7, Canada.

Abstract

CONTEXT

Accurate assessment of excess body fat and its cardiometabolic risk is essential in clinical and epidemiologic research. Body-mass index (BMI), although widely used, does not capture visceral or ectopic fat.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate how anthropometric measures-BMI, percent body fat, waist circumference (WC), and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR)-relate to MRI-measured visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and hepatic fat fraction (HFF), overall, and by sex.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional analysis within the Canadian Alliance for Healthy Heart and Minds cohort.

SETTING

Community-based, pan-Canadian prospective study.

PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS

6683 apparently healthy adults (mean age 57 ± 9 years; 3665 females) with baseline anthropometric and MRI measures; analyses adjusted for study center.

INTERVENTIONS

Not applicable.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

MRI-derived VAT and HFF. Associations were estimated using linear regression and mixed models, stratified by sex, ethnicity, age, and BMI category.

RESULTS

Mean BMI was 26.7 kg/m 2, WC 88.3 cm, VAT 71 mL, and HFF 5.7%. Females had lower VAT and HFF than males. Correlations with VAT ranged from 0.35 to 0.77 and with HFF from 0.26 to 0.47. Each 10 cm higher WC was associated with 21.0 mL higher VAT and 2.1% higher HFF; each 5 kg/m 2 higher BMI predicted 24.7 mL and 2.8% higher values. When modeled jointly, WC remained strongly predictive, while BMI contributed modestly. Associations were smaller in females. VAT and HFF increased across WC tertiles within BMI categories.

CONCLUSION

WC is a robust surrogate for visceral and hepatic fat across BMI categories, supporting its use when MRI is not feasible.

MeSH

Waist-Hip Ratio, Sex, Waist Circumference