High Fitness, Regardless of BMI, Is Linked to Lower Abdominal Fat

Low levels of fitness are associated with abdominal adiposity and low-grade inflammation independent of an individual’s body mass index (BMI), according to the results of a recent study.

Metabolically healthy obese individuals, characterized by low abdominal adiposity, low inflammation levels, and low risk of metabolic comorbidity, represent up to 30% of obese individuals.
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For their study, the researchers aimed to investigate how cardiorespiratory fitness was related to abdominal adiposity and low-grade inflammation within different BMI categories. They collected data from 10,976 participants on waist circumference, fitness, and C-reactive protein (hsCRP).

Overall, they found an inverse association between fitness and waist circumference and an inverse association between fitness and hsCRP, independent of BMI. Significant positive associations between wait circumference and hsCRP were also observed, independent of BMI.

“These data suggest that, in spite of BMI, high fitness levels lead to a reduction in abdominal fat mass and low-grade inflammation,” the researchers concluded.

—Michael Potts

Reference:

Wedell-Neergaard A, Eriksen L, Gronbaek M, et al. Low fitness is associated with abdominal adiposity and low-grade inflammation independent of BMI [published online January 17, 2018]. PLOS One. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0190645