Large mid-upper arm circumference is associated with metabolic syndrome in middle-aged and elderly individuals: a community-based study

Jie Shi,Ning Lin,Hongxia Gu,Yixin Niu,Weiwei Zhang,Xiaoyong Li,Jie Wen,Zhen Yang,Hongmei Zhang,Guang Ning,Qing Su,Li Qin

doi:10.1186/s12902-020-00559-8

Abstract

BackgroundThe mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) is a proxy for subcutaneous fat in the upper body and is a reliable screening measure for identifying individuals with abnormal regional fat distribution. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between MUAC and metabolic syndrome (MetS) in middle-aged and elderly individuals.MethodsWe measured the MUAC in a cross-sectional sample with a total of 9787 subjects aged 40 years and older. The measurement of MUAC is performed on the right arm using a non-elastic tape held midway between the acromion and the olecranon processes in duplicate, with the arm hanging loosely at the side of the body. The MetS was defined according to the Joint Statement of the International Diabetes Federation Task Force on Epidemiology and Prevention.ResultsMUAC was positively correlated with waist circumference (r = 0.437, P < 0.001), BMI (r = 0.334, P < 0.001), fasting insulin (r = 0.348, P < 0.001), HOMA-IR (r = 0.134, P < 0.001), triglycerides (r = 0.138, P < 0.001), SBP (r = 0.124, P < 0.001), and DBP (r = 0.123, P < 0.001), and inversely correlated with adiponectin (r = − 0.147, P < 0.001) and HDL-cholesterol (r = − 0.176, P < 0.001) after adjusting for age and gender. Compared with the lowest quartile group, the odds ratios were substantially higher for MetS (OR 1.77; 95% CI 1.51–2.09, P for trend< 0.001) in the highest MUAC quartile group after adjustment for potential cofounder.ConclusionLarge mid-upper arm circumference is significantly associated with metabolic syndrome in middle-aged and elderly individuals.

Highlights

The mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) is a proxy for subcutaneous fat in the upper body and is a reliable screening measure for identifying individuals with abnormal regional fat distribution
Previous studies have revealed that systemic Free fatty acids (FFAs) is primarily derived from upper-body subcutaneous fat [5, 9], indicating that excessive upper arm fat depot may be a contributor to metabolic abnormality
It has been demonstrated that dysregulation of fatty acid disposition, with ectopic lipid accumulation in non-adipose cells, is a major factor contributing to the development of metabolic syndrome (MetS) [11]

Summary

Introduction

The mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) is a proxy for subcutaneous fat in the upper body and is a reliable screening measure for identifying individuals with abnormal regional fat distribution. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between MUAC and metabolic syndrome (MetS) in middle-aged and elderly individuals. Numerous convincing evidence demonstrated that upper-body subcutaneous fat is significantly associated with increased visceral fat and involved in metabolic disorders independent of body mass indexes [7, 8]. Previous studies have revealed that systemic FFA is primarily derived from upper-body subcutaneous fat [5, 9], indicating that excessive upper arm fat depot may be a contributor to metabolic abnormality. The transfer of excess FFA from systemic adipose tissue lipolysis to liver tissue will result in excessive fat accumulation in the liver. It has been demonstrated that dysregulation of fatty acid disposition, with ectopic lipid accumulation in non-adipose cells, is a major factor contributing to the development of MetS [11]

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