Sex-specific association of anthropometric measures of body composition with arterial stiffness in a healthy population

Background: Anthropometric measures of body composition and arterial stiffness are commonly used as indicators of cardiovascular risk. Little is known, however, about the association of the anthropometric measures with arterial stiffness, especially in a healthy generally non-obese population. Material and methods: In a sample of 352 healthy subjects (200 premenopausal women), three arterial stiffness indices were analyzed (pulse wave velocity, augmentation index and central systolic blood pressure) in relation to five anthropometric measures of body composition (body mass index – BMI, body fat percentage by skinfold measurements – %BF, waist circumference – WC, waist-hip ratio – WHpR and waist-height ratio – WHtR). Data were analyzed using correlation and regression analyses, with adjustment for the following confounders: age, blood pressures, height, heart rate, blood lipids and smoking. Results: Most correlations between anthropometric measures and arterial stiffness indices were significant and positive in both gender groups (r=0.14-0.40, P<0.05). After adjustment for confounding effects, BMI, WC and WHtR remained significant, but inverse predictors of arterial stiffness (β from -0.06 to -0.16 ; P<0.05) in the females, while in the males BMI was the only measure inversely predicting arterial stiffness (β from -0.09 to -0.13 ; P<0.05). Conclusion: Measures of body composition are weak and inverse predictors of arterial stiffness and their influence is gender dependent. BMI, WC and WHtR were key predictors of arterial stiffness in the females, while BMI was the principal predictor in the males. The associations of anthropometric measures with arterial stiffness are strongly and differently confounded by various factors that have to be taken into account when explaining results of similar studies.