Body Roundness Index, A Body Shape Index, Conicity Index, and Their Association with Nutritional Status and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in South African Rural Young Adults.

BACKGROUND: The study aimed to investigate the association of Body Roundness Index (BRI), A Body Shape Index (ABSI), and Conicity Index with nutritional status and cardiovascular risk factors in South African rural young adults. METHODS: The study included a total of 624 young adults aged 21-30 years from the Ellisras rural area. Anthropometric indices, blood pressure (BP), and biochemical measurements were measured. RESULTS: BRI was significantly correlated with insulin (0.252 males, females 0.255), homeostatic model assessment (HOMA)-ß (0.250 males, females 0.245), and TG (0.310 males, females 0.216). Conicity Index was significantly associated with pulse rate (PR) (ß 0.099, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.017, 0.143, p < 0.013; ß 0.081, 95% CI 0.000 0.130, p < 0.048), insulin (ß 0.149, 95% CI 0.286 0.908, p < 0.001; ß 0.110, 95% CI 0.123 0.757, p < 0.007). Conicity Index is associated with insulin resistance (IR) (odds ratio (OR) 7.761, 95% CI 5.783 96.442, p < 0.001; OR 4.646, 95% CI 2.792 74.331, p < 0.007), underweight (OR 0.023, 95% CI 0.251 0.433, p < 0.001; OR 0.031, 95% CI 0.411 0.612, p < 0.001), and obesity (OR 1.058, 95% CI 271.5 4.119, p < 0.001; OR 1.271, 95% CI 0.672 1.099, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Conicity Index was positively associated with insulin resistance, hypertension and dyslipidaemia. Further investigation of these indices and their association with nutritional status and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) could assist in efforts to prevent CVD in the rural South African population.

Ellisras Longitudinal Study 2017: the association of fat patterning with blood pressure in Polokwane private school children aged five to 15 years (ELS 22).

BACKGROUND: Obesity is a risk factor for non-communicable diseases and is a global public health concern. OBJECTIVE: The main objectives of this study were to investigate the association of fat patterning and blood pressure among five- to 15-year-old black children attending private schools in Polokwane, South Africa, and to determine the prevalence of obesity and hypertension. METHODS: A total of 1 665 subjects (846 boys and 819 girls), aged five to 15 years and attending three private schools in Polokwane, were included in the study. All anthropometric measurements were taken according to standard procedures of the International Society for the Advancement of Kinanthropometry. All data were analysed using SPSS. RESULTS: Girls showed a higher prevalence of over-fatness (10.2-12.3%) and hypertension (1.4-33.0%) than boys (7.3-10.3, 3.6-21.3%, respectively). The sum of four skinfolds, trunk skinfolds relative to limb skinfold, and body mass index (BMI) were positively associated with systolic and diastolic blood pressure (p < 0.01). There was a significant positive (p < 0.001) association between over-fatness and hypertension, both unadjusted (OR = 3.11; 95% CI = 2.17-4.46) and adjusted for age and gender (OR = 3.29; 95% CI = 2.22-4.86). CONCLUSIONS: These Polokwane private school children with high body fatness were at risk for developing high blood pressure.