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Phase angle and anthropometric indicators of cardiometabolic risk in children and adolescents

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2024)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Rationale/objective

The phase angle (PhA) is a measurement obtained from the resistance and reactance found in the bioelectrical impedance examination and is useful in assessing nutritional status and in assessing cardiometabolic diseases. Therefore, the objective was to correlate the phase angle to the anthropometric variables of cardiometabolic risk (CMR) in children and adolescents.

Subjects/methods

Weight, height, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC) and neck circumference (NC), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), and PhA of 1231 children and adolescents aged between 5 and 18 years were assessed. PhA was assessed in tertiles and CMR was identified using the anthropometric variables BMI, WC, NC, and WHtR. Linear regression models were used to verify the association between PhA tertiles and CMR anthropometric variables, stratified by sex.

Results

No relationship was found between PhA and CMR variables in children. In adolescents, lower values of NC (β = -0.019, p = 0.005) and BMI (β = -0.025, p = 0.023) were found in boys, WC (β = -0.017, p = 0.020), WHtR (β = -0.017, p = 0.020), NC (β = -0.011, p = 0.027) and BMI (β = -0.026, p = 0.009) in girls when they were in tertile 1 when compared to tertile 3 of the PhA, even after adjusting for age.

Conclusion

The PhA was directly associated with CMR in the assessed adolescents.

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Fig. 1: Comparison between the anthropometric variables of the cardiometabolic risk and phase angle in tertiles of male adolescents, Fortaleza, 2022.
Fig. 2: Comparison between the anthropometric variables of the cardiometabolic risk and phase angle in tertiles of female adolescents, Fortaleza, 2022.

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Data availability

We declare that the data analyzed and generated during this study is available to the corresponding author upon reasonable request and as long as it does not violate the privacy of the participants.

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Acknowledgements

To the study participants, the Fortaleza Municipal Department of Education, the Research Program for the SUS, and the Ceará Foundation to Support Scientific and Technological Development (FUNCAP/SESA/CNPq/MCTI/MS).

Funding

This study received financial support from the Research Program for the Brazilian Unified Health System (PPSUS - Agreement No. 900394/2020) of the Ceará Foundation for Support to Scientific and Technological Development (FUNCAP), MCTI, CNPq and SESA.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Nutritionist. Master’s degree. Ph.D student from the Graduate Program in Public Health, State University of Ceará, Fortaleza - CE, Brazil

    Juliana Raissa Oliveira Ricarte, Maria Dinara de Araújo Nogueira & Géssica de Souza Martins

  2. Nutritionist. Master’s student in the Graduate Program in Nutrition and Health, State University of Ceará, Fortaleza - CE, Brazil

    Matheus Aragão Dias Firmino, Luis Felipe Nunes de Oliveira & Ashley Brito Valentim

  3. Undergraduate Student in the Bachelor’s program in Nutrition, State University of Ceará, Fortaleza - CE, Brazil

    Ana Cecília Pereira Dantas & Nayeli Silva Lima Matias

  4. Pediatrician. Master’s degree, Pediatric Obesity Clinic at the Anastácio Magalhães Health Center, Fortaleza - Ce, Brazil

    Enairton Vinicius da Silva Rocha

  5. Nutritionist. Ph.D. Researcher at the study and research Group on Micronutrients and Chronic Diseases, State University of Ceará, Fortaleza - CE, Brazil

    Kaluce Gonçalves de Sousa Almondes

  6. Nutritionist. Ph.D. Faculty member in the Graduate Programs in Nutrition and Health, and Public Health, State University of Ceará, Fortaleza - CE, Brazil

    Carla Soraya Costa Maia

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Contributions

JROR was responsible for the design of the work that led to its submission, acquired the data, drafted the manuscript and played an important role in the interpretation of the results; MDAN responsible for designed the work that led to its submission and played an important role in interpreting the results; MADF acquired the data and participated in the writing of the manuscript; LFNO acquired the data and participated in the writing of the manuscript; ; ABV acquired the data and participated in the writing of the manuscript; GSM acquired the data and participated in the writing of the manuscript ACPD acquired the data; NSLM acquired the data; EVSR participated in the review of the manuscript and final approval; KGSA participated in the review of the manuscript and final approval; CSCM conceived the work leading up to submission, reviewed the manuscript, approved the final version and agreed to be responsible for all aspects of the work to ensure that issues related to the accuracy or completeness of any part of the work are adequately investigated and resolved.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Carla Soraya Costa Maia.

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Ethical approval

This study was carried out by the Declaration of Helsinki and approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the State University of Ceará, following all the precepts to preserve the safety and autonomy of those assessed following resolution 466/12 of the National Health Council (protocol number 3.507.172), where to participate the child or adolescent signed an Assent Form and/or their guardian signed an Informed Consent Form.

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Ricarte, J.R.O., Nogueira, M.D.d.A., Firmino, M.A.D. et al. Phase angle and anthropometric indicators of cardiometabolic risk in children and adolescents. Eur J Clin Nutr (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41430-024-01439-3

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