Body fat, abdominal fat and body fat distribution related to cardiovascular risk factors in prepubertal children

Aim: We analysed whether total body fat (TBF), abdominal fat and body fat distribution are associated with higher composite risk factor scores for cardiovascular disease (CVD) in young children. Methods: Cross-sectional study of 238 children aged 811 years. TBF and abdominal fat mass (AFM) were measured by Dual-Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry. TBF was expressed as a percentage of body weight (BF%). Body fat distribution was calculated as AFM/TBF. Maximal oxygen uptake (VO2PEAK), systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP, DBP), and resting heart rate (RHR) were measured. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) and pulse pressure (PP) were calculated. Left atrial diameter (LA) was measured, and left ventricular mass (LVM) and relative wall thickness (RWT) were calculated. Z-scores were calculated. Sum of z-scores for SBP, DBP, MAP, PP, RHR, LVM, LA, RWT and -VO2PEAK was calculated in boys and girls, separately, and used as composite risk factor score. Results: Pearson correlations between ln BF%, ln AFM and AFM/TBF versus composite risk factor score for boys were r = 0.56, r = 0.59 and r = 0.48, all p < 0.001, and for girls r = 0.45, r = 0.50 and r = 0.48, all p < 0.001. Conclusion: Total body fat, abdominal fat and body fat distribution were all associated with higher composite risk factor scores for CVD in young children.