Long-term body weight variability is associated with elevated C-reactive protein independent of current body mass index among Japanese men

doi:doi:10.1038/sj.ijo.0802386

International Journal of Obesity homepage

International Journal of Obesity (2003) 27, 1059–1065. doi:10.1038/sj.ijo.0802386

Long-term body weight variability is associated with elevated C-reactive protein independent of current body mass index among Japanese men

K Tamakoshi¹, H Yatsuya¹, T Kondo¹, M Ishikawa¹, H Zhang¹, C Murata¹, R Otsuka¹, T Mabuchi¹, Y Hori¹, S Zhu², T Yoshida³ and H Toyoshima¹

¹Department of Public Health/ Health Information Dynamics, Field of Social Life Science, Program in Health and Community Medicine, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
²Obesity Research Center, St Lukes'/Roosevelt Hospital Center, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, NY, USA
³Department of Public Health, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Toyoake, Aichi, Japan

Correspondence: Dr K Tamakoshi, Department of Public Health/Health Information Dynamics, Field of Social Life Science, Program in Health and Community Medicine, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan. E-mail: tamako@med.nagoya-u.ac.jp

Received 21 November 2002; Revised 27 March 2003; Accepted 24 April 2003.

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Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To elucidate the effect of long-term weight variability on C-reactive protein (CRP) levels.

DESIGN: Cross-sectional study of the circulating CRP.

SUBJECTS: A total of 637 Japanese men aged 40–49 y in1997.

MEASUREMENTS: Serum CRP levels, body mass index in 1997 (current BMI), the slope of weight on age (weight-slope) representing an individual's weight trend of direction and magnitude, and the root mean square error around the slope of weight on age (weight-RMSE) representing the weight fluctuation magnitude, as calculated by a simple linear regression model in which each value of the subject's five actual weights (aged 20, 25, 30 y, five years ago, and current) was a dependent variable and the subject's ages independent variables.

RESULTS: After adjustment for age and confounders, including smoking and health status, the odds ratios of elevated CRP ( greater than or equal to 0.06 mg/dl) were 1.83 (95% CI: 1.25–2.69), 2.63 (1.69–4.11), and 10.31 (2.17–48.98) for upper normal-weight (BMI: 22–<25 kg/m²), overweight (25–<30), and obese (30) persons, respectively, compared with lower normal-weight persons (18.5–<22). Adjusting for age, confounders, and current BMI, weight-slope was positively associated with CRP level especially among subjects with BMI greater than or equal to 25 kg/m² (trend P<0.01), and weight-RMSE was positively associated with CRP level particularly among subjects with BMI <25 kg/m² (trend P<0.05).

CONCLUSION: Our results suggest a state of low-grade systemic inflammation not only in overweight and obese persons, but also in normal-weight persons with large weight fluctuation, possibly explaining in part the positive association between weight fluctuation and CVD.