Waist Circumference and BMI Are Strongly Correlated with MRI-Derived Fat Compartments in Young Adults

Abstract

Young adulthood is increasingly considered as a vulnerable age group for significant weight gain, and it is apparent that there is an increasing number of new cases of metabolic syndrome developing among this population. This study included 60 young adult volunteers (18–26 years old). All participants obtained a calculated total abdominal fat percentage, subcutaneous fat percentage, and visceral fat percentage using a semiautomatic segmentation technique from T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) images of the abdomen. The results show strongest correlation between abdominal fat and BMI (r = 0.824) followed by subcutaneous fat (r = 0.768), and visceral fat (r = 0.633) respectively, (p < 0.001 for all, after having been adjusted for age and gender). Among anthropometric measurements, waist circumference showed strong correlation with all fat compartments (r = 0.737 for abdominal, r = 0.707 for subcutaneous fat, and r = 0.512 for visceral fat; p < 0.001 for all). The results obtained from examining the blood revealed that there was a moderate positive correlation relationship between all fat compartments with triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein, and fasting glucose levels (p < 0.05 for all). This study suggests that both BMI and waist circumference could be used to assess the fat compartments and treatment targets to reduce the risk of metabolic disorders and health risks in the young adult population.