DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION OF EQUATIONS TO ESTIMATE VISCERAL ADIPOSE TISSUE IN MILITARY MEN

Abstract

ABSTRACT Introduction It has been suggested that visceral adipose tissue (VAT) is associated with several non-communicable chronic diseases, but measuring it is difficult. Thus, anthropometry could be used because is easily applied in clinical practice. Objectives The present study aimed to develop and validate VAT estimation equations (Eq) in military men. Methods The sample consisted of 409 (mean age, 36.5 ± 6.7 years) military men in the Brazilian Army (BA) divided into an equation group (EG) ( n = 270; mean age, 37.0 ± 6.3 years) and a validation group (VG) ( n =139; mean age, 36.0 ± 7.2 years). Anthropometric, hemodynamic and DXA body composition evaluations ( GE iLunar ) were performed. The Student’s t test, Pearson’s correlation, and stepwise general linear regression were applied. Bland-Altman graphics were used to assess the concordance between VAT by Eq and by DXA. The level of significance was 95% ( p < 0.05). Results Age, waist circumference (WC), hip circumference and body mass index presented the main significant positive correlations with the VAT-DXA. Four Eq were created Eq1 ( r 2 = 0.793), Eq2 ( r 2 = 0.810), Eq3 ( r 2 = 0.817), and Eq 4 ( r 2 = 0.823) ( p < 0.05). No differences were observed between VAT by DXA and VAT by Eq ( p = 0.982, p = 0.970, p = 0.495 and p = 0.698). Bland-Altman analysis also presented good concordance as the bias was close to zero and was not statistically significant. Conclusion Eq2 (age*13.0 + WC*60.0 - 4975,.5) was more suitable because it is easier to apply, has a higher predictive power (81.0%), less bias (1.86) and validation yielded average VAT values close to those found in DXA. It may still be considered a valuable tool for other extensive epidemiological studies in military men in the BA and can be used in adult men. Evidence Level I: Development of diagnostic criteria on consecutive patients (with universally applied reference ‘‘gold’’ standard).