Degree of association between the body mass index (BMI), waist-hip ratio (WHR), waist-height ratio (WHtR), body adiposity index (BAI) and conicity index (CI) in physically active older adults

Abstract

Aging is the main factor in the eventual development of cardiovascular disease (CVD) the prevalence of which is increasing progressively along with life expectancy. Therefore, it is essential to identify the most effective indicators for predicting the possible development of CVD. Anthropometric indices provide useful information for CVD risk evaluation. These are widely used for the simplicity of their estimates and their high correlation in the positive identification of CVD. The most used in the general population are the body mass index (BMI), the waist to hip ratio (WHR) and waist to height ratio (WHtR), body adiposity index (BAI) and conicity index (CI). However, the behavior and association of such indices in physically active people over 65 years of age is not well established. To analyze the behavior and association of the BMI, WHR, WHtR, BAI and CI in a group of active people over 65 years of age. A group of 608 European participants with a mean age of 68.05±5.43yrs, composed of 74.2% female and 28.5% male, was randomly selected and evaluated for anthropometric parameters and body composition by a bio-impedance measuring device with four electrode sensor systems. A descriptive analysis was completed via measures of central tendency (mean and standard deviation) and percentage analysis. As the distribution of the sample was normal (parametric), an association analysis was carried out through the Pearson correlation coefficient (r), in order to determine the relationship between anthropometric and body composition indices. A P value of <0.05 was considered to indicate statistical significance. The results show that BMI, BAI and WHtR are significantly related to % body fat (Fat %), with BMI reaching the highest correlation (r=0.612), followed by BAI (r=0.556) and WHtR (r=0.521). When the association between indices is considered, the WHtR and BAI and WHtR and BMI are those with the highest significant correlation (r=0.981 and r=0,789, respectively). As for the effects of gender, good to strong correlations were found between the BMI and the WHtR (r=0.731 for female, r=0.568 for male) and between the WHtR and the BAI (r=0.989 for female, r=0.985 for male). The most accurate anthropometric index for indicating the level of body fat present in an active population of 65 years of age or over seems to be the BMI, followed by the BAI and WHtR. However, the degree of association between body fat and anthropometric parameters seems to be conditioned by gender.