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Observational Study
. 2017 Apr;22(2):169-183.
doi: 10.1080/13557858.2016.1235681. Epub 2016 Oct 24.

Does one size fit all? The role of body mass index and waist circumference in systemic inflammation in midlife by race and gender

Irena Stepanikova  1   2 , Gabriela R Oates  3 , Lori Brand Bateman  3
Affiliations
Observational Study

Does one size fit all? The role of body mass index and waist circumference in systemic inflammation in midlife by race and gender

Irena Stepanikova et al. Ethn Health. 2017 Apr.

Abstract

Objective: This study investigates the associations of body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) with markers of systemic inflammation in midlife by race and gender.

Design: Data were obtained from the Survey of Midlife in the United States, a cross-sectional, observational study of Americans 35 years old or older (White men: N = 410; White women: N = 490; Black men: N = 58; Black women: N = 117). Inflammation was measured by concentrations of fibrinogen and C-reactive protein (CRP) in fasting plasma and concentrations of E-selectin and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in fasting serum. Anthropometric data were used to obtain BMI and WC. Socio-demographic and health-related factors were assessed with a survey. Multivariate models by race and gender were estimated to test the roles of BMI and WC for each inflammation marker.

Results: Compared to White men, Black women have higher BMI and higher levels of all four inflammation markers; White women have lower BMI, lower WC, and lower E-selectin and fibrinogen but higher CRP; and Black men have higher fibrinogen. After adjusting for socio-demographic and health-related covariates as well as perceived discrimination, WC is associated with all four markers of inflammation among White men and women; with three markers (fibrinogen, CRP, and IL-6) of inflammation among Black women; and with CRP (and marginally with fibrinogen and E-selectin) among Black men. BMI is associated with higher CRP and fibrinogen among Black men (marginally so for White men) but not for women of either race.

Conclusions: WC shows more consistent associations with inflammation markers than BMI, although the relationships vary by inflammation marker and population group. Our findings suggest that WC is a risk factor for systemic inflammation among White and Black men and women, and BMI is an additional risk factor for Black men.

Keywords: Inflammation; body mass index; gender; race/ethnicity; waist circumference.

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Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

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