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Relationship of obesity distribution and peripheral arterial occlusive disease in elderly men

International Journal of Obesity volume 25, pages 1068–1070 (2001)Cite this article

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationships between total body fatness and abdominal fat distribution with peripheral arterial disease.

DESIGN: Cross-sectional.

SUBJECTS: Population-based sample of 708 men aged 55–74.

MEASUREMENTS: Body mass index (BMI) to estimate total body fatness and waist-to-hip ratio for abdominal fat distribution; peripheral arterial disease defined by ankle/brachial index <0.9; cardiovascular risk factors.

RESULTS: Peripheral arterial disease was observed in 13.4% of subjects. BMI did not correlate with peripheral arterial disease, whereas an increased waist-to-hip ratio over 0.966 (median value) doubled the prevalence of arterial disease. After controlling for smoking, diabetes, hypertension, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides, increased waist-to-hip ratio was independently associated with peripheral arterial disease (odds ratio 1.68; 95% confidence interval 1.05–2.70).

CONCLUSION; Abdominal fat distribution, but not total body fatness, is associated with peripheral arterial occlusive disease, independently of concurrent cardiovascular risk factors.

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to acknowledge the valuable contributions of Rosa Faro for her task in vascular laboratory, Marco Pavesi for assistance in statistical analysis and Christine O'Hara for English revision of the manuscript. This work was funded by grant FIS 98/0013 from the Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria, Madrid, and, in part, by grant CIRIT 1997 SGR 00218 from the Generalitat of Catalonia.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Pubilla Casas Primary Health Center, Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain

    A Planas, A Gasol, A de Moner & C Contreras

  2. Vascular Surgery Department, Hospital del Mar, Barcelona, Spain

    A Clará & F Vidal-Barraquer

  3. Department of Endocrinology, Hospital de Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain

    J-M Pou

  4. Lipids and Cardiovascular Epidemiology Unit, Institut Municipal d'Investigació Mèdica, Barcelona, Spain

    J Marrugat

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  1. A Planas
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  2. A Clará
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  5. A Gasol
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  6. A de Moner
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  7. C Contreras
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Correspondence to A Clará.

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Planas, A., Clará, A., Pou, JM. et al. Relationship of obesity distribution and peripheral arterial occlusive disease in elderly men. Int J Obes 25, 1068–1070 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0801638

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