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Association strength of three adiposity measures with autonomic nervous system function in apparently healthy employees

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The journal of nutrition, health & aging

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Abstract

Objectives

To investigate the association of different measures of central (abdominal) and overall adiposity with autonomic nervous system (ANS) function, indexed by heart rate variability (HRV), in apparently healthy human adults.

Design and Measurements

Cross-sectional data of 8,538 participants (20% female, age: 41 ± 11 years, body mass index (BMI): 24 ± 4 kg/m2, waist circumference (WC): 91 ± 12 cm, waist-to-height ratio (WHtR): 0.45 ± 0.08) were available for analysis.

Results

All measures of adiposity were inversely correlated with vagally-mediated HRV indexed by RMSSD (all p<0.001). Strongest associations were found with WC and RMSSD (r = -0.29). Associations were stronger in males (WC r = -0.32) than in females (WC r = -0.23). Partial correlations revealed the same pattern for RMSSD (WC all pcc = -0.12 p<0.001; WC male pcc = -0.14 p<0.001; WC female pcc = -0.06 p<0.05). Correlation strength of BMI and WHtR with RMSSD were similar and significantly weaker compared to WC (p <.001) in unadjusted analysis. Overall, nonparametric Kendall’s tb led to the same conclusions.

Conclusion

The present data supports previous findings, that HRV is related to measures of adiposity in healthy individuals. In line with previous research, we found that WC is more strongly related to measures of HRV, indicating that WC best captures adiposity related risk.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA

    J. Koenig & J. F. Thayer

  2. Division of Geriatrics, Department of Medicine, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, USA

    B. G. Windham

  3. Longitudinal Studies Section, Clinical Research Branch, National Institute on Aging Intramural Research Program (NIA-IRP), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Baltimore, MD, USA

    L. Ferrucci

  4. Mannheim Institute of Public Health, Social and Preventive Medicine, Mannheim Medical Faculty, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany

    D. Sonntag, J. E. Fischer & M. N. Jarczok

Authors
  1. J. Koenig
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  2. B. G. Windham
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  3. L. Ferrucci
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  4. D. Sonntag
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  5. J. E. Fischer
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  6. J. F. Thayer
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  7. M. N. Jarczok
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Correspondence to J. Koenig.

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Koenig, J., Windham, B.G., Ferrucci, L. et al. Association strength of three adiposity measures with autonomic nervous system function in apparently healthy employees. J Nutr Health Aging 19, 879–882 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-015-0508-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-015-0508-x

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