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The relation of body fat mass and distribution to markers of chronic inflammation

International Journal of Obesity volume 25, pages 1407–1415 (2001)Cite this article

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To study the relation of fibrinogen and C-reactive protein (CRP) to various measures of body fat and body fat distribution and to investigate whether these relations were explained by differences in insulin sensitivity.

DESIGN AND SUBJECTS: Cross-sectional analysis of the IRAS (Insulin Resistance Atherosclerosis Study), a large (n=1559) tri-ethnic population (non-Hispanic whites, African-Americans and Mexican-Americans) across different states of glucose tolerance.

MEASUREMENTS: Glucose tolerance (oral glucose tolerance test), insulin sensitivity (frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test and minimal model analysis), assessment of body fat mass and distribution (weight, girths, bioelectrical impedance), subclinical atherosclerosis (B-mode ultrasonography of carotid artery intima-media thickness, IMT), CRP (highly sensitive immunoassay), fibrinogen (standard assay).

RESULTS: Both CRP and fibrinogen were related to all measures of body fat. Strong correlations (correlation coefficient r≥0.35) were found between CRP and body mass index (BMI), waist circumference and adipose body mass, respectively. The associations were consistent in non-diabetic and type-2 diabetic subjects, were generally stronger in women, and were only moderately attenuated by the prevailing insulin sensitivity (SI). In a multivariate linear regression model waist circumference explained 14.5% of the variability of circulating CRP levels (P=0.0001), BMI 0.4% (P=0.0067), and SI 1.7% (P=0.0001). Common carotid artery IMT was related to CRP and fibrinogen in men, but not in women, and was attenuated after adjusting for BMI or waist.

CONCLUSION: Our findings show that measures of body fat are strongly associated with circulating levels of CRP and fibrinogen. These associations were not explained by lower SI in obese subjects. Chronic, subclinical inflammation may be one pathophysiological mechanism explaining the increased risk of atherosclerotic disease associated with adiposity.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (grants HL47887, HL47889, HL47890, HL47892, HL47902, HL55208 and R01 HL58329) and the General Clinic Research Centers Program (grants NCRR GCRC, M01 RR431 and M01 RR01346).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine, Division of Clinical Epidemiology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, Texas, USA

    A Festa, K Williams & SM Haffner

  2. Department of Public Health Sciences, Bowman Gray School of Medicine, Winston Salem, North Carolina, USA

    R D'Agostino Jr

  3. Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente, The Permanente Medical Group Inc, Oakland, California, USA

    AJ Karter

  4. Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, USA

    EJ Mayer-Davis

  5. Department of Pathology, Laboratory for Clinical Biochemistry Research, University of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington, Vermont, USA

    RP Tracy

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Festa, A., D'Agostino Jr, R., Williams, K. et al. The relation of body fat mass and distribution to markers of chronic inflammation. Int J Obes 25, 1407–1415 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0801792

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