The fat-to-lean mass ratio, a novel anthropometric index, is associated to glucose metabolic disorders

Abstract Objective The aim was to evaluate whether the Fat-to-Lean Mass (FyM) ratio is associated to glucose metabolic disorders (GMD). Design Cross-sectional population based study. Methods Eligible subjects were healthy men and non-pregnant women with new diagnosis of GMD that were allocated into following groups: 1) Normal Glucose Tolerance (NGT), 2) Diabetes, 3) impaired fasting glucose (IFG) + impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), 4) IGT, and 5) IFG. The FyM index [Total body fat (Kg)/total lean mass (Kg)], and the odds ratio (OR) between FyM index and GMD were estimated. Results A total of 875 individuals with average age 41.62 ± 12.3 were enrolled; of them, 645 (73.1%) women and 230 (22.8%) men; 521 (59.5%), 71 (8.1%), 85 (9.7%), 53 (6.0%), and 145 (16.6%) individuals were allocated into groups with NGT, diabetes, IFG + IGT, IGT, and IFG, respectively. The FyM was significantly associated with prediabetes and diabetes in women (OR 4.2; 95% CI 3.0–11.1 and OR = 7.2; 95% CI 2.0–15.2) and men (OR = 2.6; 95% CI 1.1–6.7 and OR = 4.6; 95% CI 1.4–15.1). In the overall population, the OR between FyM index with IGT, IFG, and IFG + IGT was 8.4 ( 95% CI 2.6–17.4), 5.2 ( 95% CI 2.6–10.6), and 6.1 ( 95% CI 1.8–9.5). Conclusion The FyM index was strongly associated with all categories of GMD.