Association of pulse wave velocity with body fat measures at 30 y of age.

OBJECTIVES: Pulse wave velocity (PWV) is an early marker of arterial stiffness and a strong predictor of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Body fat measures, such as body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and visceral fat, have been associated with CVD in adulthood. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of PWV at 30 y of age using body fat measures.

METHODS: In 1982, the maternity hospitals in Pelotas, Brazil, were visited daily and all live births were identified. These infants have been prospectively followed several times. At 30 y, we tried to follow the cohort; the individuals were interviewed and had PWV, anthropometric parameters, abdominal fat, and visceral fat measured.

RESULTS: The present study included 1576 individuals. PWV was highly correlated with BMI, WC, visceral fat thickness, and fat mass compared with other body composition measures. In linear regression analysis, the highest regression coefficients were observed for BMI (r = 0.30; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.25-0.35), visceral fat thickness (r = 0.30; 95% CI, 0.24-0.35), and fat mass (r = 0.30; 95% CI, 0.24-0.35), even after controlling for potential confounders (sex, race, birth weight, family income, family education, and maternal smoking during pregnancy).

CONCLUSION: In the present study, BMI, visceral fat thickness, and fat mass were the strongest body fat measures related to PWV.