Regional Adipose Compartments Confer Different Cardiometabolic Risk in Children and Adolescents:: The China Child and Adolescent Cardiovascular Health Study

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the associations of fat mass in specific regions with cardiometabolic risk factors in Chinese children and adolescents.

Patients and methods: This cross-sectional study consisted of 8460 children and adolescents aged 6 to 18 years from Chinese urban areas who underwent dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry for regional fat masses and had cardiometabolic risk factors measured between January 1, 2013, and December 31, 2015.

Results: In the multivariate model containing arm fat mass, leg fat mass, and trunk fat mass, after adjustment for region, family income, age, puberty development, physical activity, and smoking, higher trunk fat mass was independently associated with greater odds of clustered cardiometabolic risk (odds ratio [OR], 2.21; 95% CI, 1.80-2.72), higher leg fat mass was associated with lower odds of clustered risk (OR, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.59-0.87), and arm fat mass was not significantly associated with clustered risk (OR, 1.22; 95% CI, 0.97-1.55). In the multivariate model including android fat mass, gynoid fat mass, and other covariates, higher android fat mass was positively associated with clustered risk (OR, 2.23; 95% CI, 1.88-2.64), but gynoid fat mass was not associated with clustered risk (OR, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.72-1.03). Analyses for individual risk factors demonstrated similar results.

Conclusion: Fat stored in different regions has differential influences on cardiometabolic risk in youth. Prospective studies are warranted to evaluate the long-term impacts of regional fat masses in childhood on cardiovascular risk in adulthood.