The Sex and Race/Ethnicity-Specific Relationships of Abdominal Fat Distribution and Anthropometric Indices in US Adults

Furong Xu (), Jacob E. Earp, Alessandra Adami, Ingrid E. Lofgren, Matthew J. Delmonico, Geoffrey W. Greene and Deborah Riebe
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Furong Xu: School of Education, University of Rhode Island, 142 Flagg Road, Kingston, RI 02881, USA
Jacob E. Earp: Department of Kinesiology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA
Alessandra Adami: Department of Kinesiology, University of Rhode Island, Independence Square, Kingston, RI 02881, USA
Ingrid E. Lofgren: Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Fogarty Hall, Kingston, RI 02881, USA
Matthew J. Delmonico: Department of Kinesiology, University of Rhode Island, Independence Square, Kingston, RI 02881, USA
Geoffrey W. Greene: Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Fogarty Hall, Kingston, RI 02881, USA
Deborah Riebe: Department of Kinesiology, University of Rhode Island, Independence Square, Kingston, RI 02881, USA

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 23, 1-12

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine demographic-specific relationships between direct abdominal fat measures and anthropometric indices. A cross-sectional study was conducted utilizing abdominal fat measures (visceral fat area, VFA; visceral to subcutaneous adipose area ratio, VSR) and anthropometrics (body mass index, BMI; waist circumference, WC) data from the 2011–2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Linear or polynomial linear regression models were used to examine the relationships of abdominal fat measures to anthropometrics with adjustment for demographics. The results revealed that while VFA was linearly related to BMI and WC across all demographics ( p < 0.001), the relationships between VSR and both BMI and WC were concave in men and convex in women. The relationships between VFA, VSR, and BMI, WC varied by sex and race/ethnicity. In conclusion, increasing BMI and WC were linearly associated with increased VFA, but their relationships with VSR were nonlinear and differed by sex.

Keywords: anthropometric indices; body mass index; waist circumference; visceral fat area; subcutaneous fat area; visceral to subcutaneous fat area ratio; health disparities (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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