Relative lower body circumferences are associated with the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and arterial stiffness

Body circumference is a known health-related factor. This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the associations of relative lower body circumferences with metabolic syndrome (MetS) and arterial stiffness (AS) in 684 men aged > 40 (mean, 54.6 +/- 8.5) years. Participants were measured for waist, thigh, and calf circumferences; underwent blood tests and blood pressure measurements to detect MetS; and received brachial ankle pulse wave velocity measurements to measure AS. The waist-to-thigh, waist-to-calf, and thigh-to-calf circumferences were calculated and classified into quartiles. Age-adjusted multiple logistic regression models were used to assess the associations between the circumference ratios and AS vs. non-AS and MetS vs. non-MetS (systolic and diastolic blood pressure, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and fasting plasma glucose). The mean body mass index was 24.9 +/- 2.8 kg/m(2); the mean waist, thigh, and calf circumferences were 87.4 +/- 7.6, 53.8 +/- 4.2, and 36.4 +/- 2.7 cm, respectively. Compared to the lowest quartiles, participants in waist-to-thigh circumference quartiles 3 (odds ratio [OR] = 3.195, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.825-5.594, p < 0.001) and 4 (OR = 4.755, 95% CI = 2.715-8.325, p < 0.001), and participants in waist-to-calf circumference quartiles 2 (OR = 2.511, 95% CI = 1.397-4.511, p = 0.002), 3 (OR = 3.929, 95% CI = 2.076-7.435, p < 0.001), and 4 (OR = 5.298, 95% CI = 2.847-9.858, p < 0.001) had significantly greater risks of MetS; participants in waist-to-calf circumference quartile 4 (OR = 2.481, 95% CI = 1.477-4.167, p < 0.001) and participants in waist-to-calf circumference quartile 4 (OR = 1.763, 95% CI = 1.088-2.856, p = 0.021) had a significantly greater risk of AS, indicating that age-adjusted relative lower body circumferences associate with MetS and AS. Large thigh and calf circumferences may indicate reduced risks for cardiovascular disease.