Cardiovascular risk assessment and its association with body fat distribution pattern in young men

Introduction . Obesity is one of the key factors affecting cardiovascular risk (CVR) in young men. Aim . To assess CVR in young men depending on the presence or absence of abdominal obesity (AO) and the type of adipose tissue (AТ) distribution. Materials and methods . The cross-sectional clinical study included 150 men aged 20–45 years, average age 36 [32; 41] years. Participants were recruited into three groups of 50 men each, based on anthropometry and bioimpedance analysis (BIA) of body composition: Group 1 – without AO, Group 2 – with AO and predominantly subcutaneous type of AT distribution, Group 3 – with AO and predominantly visceral type of AT distribution. Anthropometric measurements, caliperometry, BIA, and ultrasound were used to assess body fat mass and AT distribution. Risk scores SCORE2, Framingham 2008, PREVENT, QRISK3, Framingham-30, and Mayo Clinic Heart Disease Risk Calculator were used to assess the CVR. Results . In men without AO, the CVR was statistically significantly lower for all the calculated scores than in the group of men with AO and predominantly visceral fat deposition. In a correlation analysis, the number of points of CVR scores Framingham 2008, QRISK3, Framingham-30, Mayo Clinic Heart Disease Risk Calculator had positive connections with all the studied parameters of body composition (rs = 0.275–0.678; p < 0.001) and a negative relationship with the basal metabolic rate (rs = (-0.777) – (-0.285); p < 0.001). Conclusions . Young men without AO have a lower CVR compared to men with AO and visceral fat distribution. Men with AO with predominantly subcutaneous or visceral types of AT distribution have comparable CVR, with the exception of the QRISK3 relative risk assessment and the Framingham-30 score. The CVR value positively correlates with anthropometric and ultrasound parameters reflecting the amount of visceral AT.