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Body Fat, Abdominal Fat, and Body Fat Distribution Is Related to Left Atrial Diameter in Young Children
Author(s) -
Dencker Magnus,
Thorsson Ola,
Karlsson Magnus K.,
Lindén Christian,
Andersen Lars B.,
Wollmer Per
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
obesity
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.438
H-Index - 199
eISSN - 1930-739X
pISSN - 1930-7381
DOI - 10.1038/oby.2011.244
Subject(s) - lean body mass , medicine , blood pressure , classification of obesity , population , body fat distribution , fat mass , body mass index , body adiposity index , endocrinology , cardiology , body weight , environmental health
In adults, the size of the left atria (LA) has important prognostic information. In obese adults, adolescents and children enlargement of LA have been observed. This has not been investigated on a population‐based level in young children. We therefore assessed if total body fat mass (TBF), abdominal fat, and body fat distribution were related to LA diameter. Cross‐sectional study of 244 children (boys = 137 and girls n = 107) aged 8–11 years, recruited from an urban population‐based cohort. Dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry (DXA) measured total lean body mass, TBF, and abdominal fat mass (AFM). Body fat was also calculated as a percentage of body mass (BF%). Body fat distribution (AFM/TBF) was calculated. Echocardiography was performed with two‐dimensional guided M‐mode. LA diameter was measured and left ventricular mass (LVM) was calculated. Systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure were measured and maturity assessed according to Tanner. There were significant ( P < 0.05) univariate correlations for all children between TBF ( r = 0.40), BF% ( r = 0.32), AFM ( r = 0.41), and AFM/TBF ( r = 0.41) vs. LA diameter. Multiple regression analyses with the inclusion of possible confounders such as lean body mass, blood pressure, gender, age, and Tanner stage revealed that TBF, AFM, and AFM/TBF were all independently related to LA diameter. Differences in the different body fat measurements explained 6–9% of the variance in LA size. These results demonstrated that both total body fat, AFM, and body fat distribution are already at a young age negatively and independently associated to LA diameter.