Anatomic fat depots and cardiovascular risk: a focus on the leg fat using nationwide surveys (KNHANES 2008–2011)

BACKGROUND: Although central fat is a well-known risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cardiometabolic disorders, the effect of other regional fats or muscle distribution on CVD risk has not been fully investigated. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study using nationally representative samples of 15,686 subjects from the 2008–2011 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Individual CVD risk was evaluated in adults aged ≥20 without prior CVD, using atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk equations according to the 2013 ACC/AHA guidelines. Body composition was assessed by dual X-ray absorptiometry. RESULTS: Ratio of leg fat to total fat (LF/TF ratio) was the most predictive for CVD among body fat or muscle distribution parameters (AUC = 0.748, 95% CI 0.741–0.755). ASCVD risk score was gradually increased with decreased LF/TF ratio (P < 0.001), and individuals whose LF/TF ratio in lowest tertile tended to belong to the high-risk (10-year risk >10%) group compared to those in the highest tertile (OR = 6.25, 95% CI 5.60–6.98). Subjects in the lowest tertile showed increased risk of cardiometabolic risk factor components including obesity, hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, chronic kidney disease, and albuminuria (OR range 2.57–11.24, all P < 0.001). In addition, a higher LF/TF ratio was associated with decreased ASCVD risk, even in subjects with multiple CVD risk factors. Multiple logistic regression analyses also demonstrated this association (OR = 1.85, 95% CI 1.36–2.52). CONCLUSIONS: Among various body composition parameters, LF/TF ratio was superior in predicting higher CVD risk and a higher LF/TF ratio was independently associated with decreased risk of CVD and each cardiometabolic risk factor. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12933-017-0536-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.