Abstract
Maintaining optimal low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels is necessary to prevent cardiovascular disease (CVD). Excessive fat mass and decreased muscle mass are both associated with increased risks of developing dyslipidemia. Thus, we investigated the longitudinal relationship between the fat-to-muscle ratio (FMR) and the non-achievement of LDL cholesterol targets. We analyzed a total of 4386 participants aged 40–69 years from the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study. FMR was defined as the ratio of total fat mass to total muscle mass, measured by bioelectrical impedance. The non-achievement of an LDL cholesterol target was defined as an LDL cholesterol level higher than the established target level according to individual CVD risk. The adjusted hazard ratios and 95% confidence interval for the incidence of non-achievement of LDL cholesterol targets for the sex-specific middle and highest tertiles vs. the referent lowest tertile of FMR were 1.56 (1.29–1.90) and 1.86 (1.47–2.31) in men and 1.40 (1.18–1.66) and 1.31 (1.06–1.62) in women after adjusting confounders. Our findings suggest that FMR, a novel indicator of the combined effects of fat and muscle mass, is useful for predicting non-achievement of LDL cholesterol targets.
Highlights
Obesity is a major public health problem worldwide due to its high prevalence and heavy burden on individuals and societies
Increased free fatty acid (FFA) levels result in increased levels of triglycerides, decreased levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, and the increased presence of small, dense, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) particles, which are associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) [4,5]
For both men and women, mean age, Body mass index (BMI), Mean blood pressure (MBP), plasma glucose, serum total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol levels, median serum triglyceride levels, and the proportion of obese participants and people with hypertension were significantly increased in the sex-specific T3 tertile compared with the T1 tertile
Summary
Obesity is a major public health problem worldwide due to its high prevalence and heavy burden on individuals and societies. Numerous pieces of clinical and epidemiological evidence have demonstrated the strong link between obesity and cardiovascular disease (CVD) development [1], and excessive adipose tissue has been shown to worsen CVD risk factors, such as insulin resistance, abnormal glucose and lipid metabolism, hypertension, and inflammation [2,3]. Lee et al demonstrated that decreased skeletal muscle mass was associated with dyslipidemia, regardless of the presence of abdominal obesity, and suggested that insulin resistance may be associated with low muscle mass [7]. Both excessive fat mass and the relative decrease in muscle mass should be considered when examining the associations between obesity and dyslipidemia
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
