Bell JA, et al. – In this study, investigators compared body mass index (BMI) with total and regional fat indexes from dual-energy x-tray absorptiometry in their associations with cardiometabolic traits. In addition, exposure duration and change in each index across adolescence were assessed in association with detailed traits in young adulthood. They identified abdominal fatness as a primary driver of cardiometabolic dysfunction, and BMI was recognized as a useful tool for detecting its impacts.

Methods

• Study participants included 2,840 offspring from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children.
• In relation to 230 traits from targeted metabolomics at age 18 years, researchers assessed BMI alongside total, trunk, arm, and leg fat indexes (each in kilograms per square meter) from dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry at ages 10 and 18 years.

Results

• A similar association was observed of higher total fat mass index and BMI at age 10 years as with cardiometabolic traits at age 18 years, including higher systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels, higher very low-density lipoprotein and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, lower levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, higher triglyceride levels, and higher insulin and glycoprotein acetyls concentrations.
• They observed stronger links for both indexes measured at age 18 years and for gains in each index from age 10 to 18 years.
• They also noted that these associations resembled those for trunk fat index.
• A weak association of higher lean mass index with traits was observed.
• No protective impact of higher lean mass index against higher fat mass index was observed.