This study was conducted to investigate the relationship of body fatness
indicators and
serum lipids (total
cholesterol,
high density lipoprotein (HDL)
cholesterol,
low density lipoprotein(LDL)
cholesterol,
triglycerides,
myocardial infarction(MI) index) to find anthropometric
indicators of
body fat distribution that are strongly associated with
serum lipids. 347
adult male workers of an
industry in Kyungpook province were selected and data on the general characteristics were obtained using
questionnaire from June 26 to June 29, 1991.
Serum lipids were tested with 5 ml
fasting blood and height, weight, circumferences of waist,
hip and mid-
thigh, five
subcutaneous fat thickeness(biceps, triceps, supscapular, suprailiac,
thigh) were mea sured using Ultrasound type A TATT.
Waist circumference, waist/
hip circumference ratio and
subcutaneous fat thickness of suprailiac area are significantly increased with increasing age, but
thigh circumference is significantly decreased (P< 0.05). These results suggest that
central obesity is closely related to age and
waist circumference may be the best
indicator of body fatness or
body fat distribution in
men. In younger
age group(below 40 year old), the result of
canonical correlations analysis suggests that circumferences(0.501) was slightly closely related to
serum lipids than
subcutaneous fat thickness(0.493), however, in older
age group (above 40 year old),
subcutaneous fat thickness(0.528) were more strongly associated with
serum lipids than circumferences(0.419). Weighted canonical analyses suggest that biceps and suprailiac areas in younger
age group and sub scapular area in older
age group are stronger
indicators of
serum lipids among .subcutaneous fatness measurements. Of the
circumferences, waist is the most strongest
indicator of
serum lipids in both
age groups. Therefore, it is recommended that circumference of waist and
subcutaneous fat thickness of subscapular area should be measured to estimate the degree of
central obesity for preventing
cardiovascular disease in
men.