Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity (May 2020)

Optimal Body Fat Percentage Cut-Off Values in Predicting the Obesity-Related Cardiovascular Risk Factors: A Cross-Sectional Cohort Study

  • Macek P,
  • Biskup M,
  • Terek-Derszniak M,
  • Stachura M,
  • Krol H,
  • Gozdz S,
  • Zak M

Journal volume & issue
Vol. Volume 13
pp. 1587 – 1597

Abstract

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Pawel Macek,1,2 Malgorzata Biskup,1,3 Malgorzata Terek-Derszniak,3 Michal Stachura,4 Halina Krol,1,5 Stanislaw Gozdz,1,6 Marek Zak1 1Department of Physical Activity, Posturology, and Gerontology, Institute of Health Sciences, Collegium Medicum, The Jan Kochanowski University, Kielce, Poland; 2Department of Epidemiology and Cancer Control, Holycross Cancer Centre, Kielce, Poland; 3Department of Rehabilitation, Holycross Cancer Centre, Kielce, Poland; 4Department of Economics and Finance, Faculty of Law and Social Sciences, The Jan Kochanowski University, Kielce, Poland; 5Clinical Oncology Clinic, Holycross Cancer Centre, Kielce, Poland; 6Research and Education Department, Holycross Cancer Centre, Kielce, PolandCorrespondence: Marek ZakDepartment of Physical Activity, Posturology, and Gerontology, The Institute of Health Sciences, Collegium Medicum, The Jan Kochanowski University, ul. Zeromskiego 5, Kielce 25-369, PolandTel +48 41 349 69 09Fax +48 41 349 69 16Email [email protected]: Reliable obesity assessment is essential in evaluating the risk of cardiovascular risk factors (CRFs). Non-availability of clearly defined cut-offs for body fat percentage (BF%), as well as a widespread application of surrogate measures for obesity assessment, may result in incorrect prediction of cardio-metabolic risk.Purpose: The study aimed to determine optimal cut-off points for BF%, with a view of predicting the CRFs related to obesity.Patients and Methods: The study involved 4735 (33.6% of men) individuals, the Polish-Norwegian Study (PONS) participants, aged 45– 64. BF% was measured with the aid of bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) method. The gender-specific cut-offs of BF% were found with respect to at least one CRF. A P-value approach, and receiver operating characteristic curve analyses were pursued for BF% cut-offs, which optimally differentiated normal from the risk groups. The associations between BF% and CRFs were determined by logistic regression models.Results: The cut-offs for BF% were established as 25.8% for men and 37.1% for women. With the exception of dyslipidemia, in men and women whose BF% was above the cut-offs, the odds for developing CRFs ranged 2– 4 times higher than those whose BF% was below the cut-offs.Conclusion: Controlling BF% below the thresholds indicating an increased health hazard may be instrumental in appreciably reducing overall exposure to developing cardio-metabolic risk.Keywords: obesity, body fat percentage, cardiovascular risk factor, cut-off, public health

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