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Body Fat Distribution and Its Association with Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Adolescent Iranian Girls
Mirhosseini, Naghmeh Zahra; Shahar, Suzana; Ghayour-Mobarhan, Majid; Parizadeh, Mohammad-Reza; Yusoff, Noor Aini Mohd & Shakeri, Mohammad-Taghi
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.
Keywords
Body composition; Hyperlipidemia; Obesity; Girls; Trunk fat
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