Relationship between impaired fasting glucose and fat distribution in adolescents

Abstract

Objective To investigate the relationship between impaired fasting glucose (IFG) and the distribution of body fat in adolescents. Methods Stratified cluster sampling was used to select 3874 adolescents aged 13-18 years for this cross-sectional study. Measurements included height, weight, waist circumference, hip circumference and fasting plasma glucose (FPG) . Family history of diabetes was determined by using a self-administered questionnaire. Participants were divided into normal fasting glucose group (FPG <5.6 mmol/L, n= 3738) and impaired fasting glucose group (5.6 mmol/L ≤ FPG < 7.0 mmol/L, n= 136) according to their FPG levels. Results (1) After adjusting for age and sex using covariance analysis, the impaired fasting glucose group showed increased levels of body mass index, weight circumference, waist/hip ratio, waist/height ratio, as compared to the normal fasting glucose group (P < 0.05). (2) After the age and gender were adjusted, body mass index, weight circumference, waist/hip ratio and waist/height ratio were positively correlated with FPG level (P < 0.05) . Among the partial relation coefficients, that between waist/height ratio and FPG (r'= 0.0925) was the highest. (3) In multiple regression analyses, age (β= -0.102, P < 0.05), family history of diabetes (β= 0.186, P < 0.05) and waist/height ratio (β=0.842, P < 0.05) were consistently associated with FPG. Conclusion Central obesity was an important predictor of IFG in adolescents. Waist/height ratio may be an useful index of central obesity and an important predictor of IFG in adolescents. Key words: Diabetes mellitus; Overweight; Obesity; Adolescent; Body fat distribution