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https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/92947
Title: | Sex differences in cardiometabolic abnormalities in a middle-aged Maltese population |
Authors: | Agius, Rachel Pace, Nikolai Paul Fava, Stephen |
Keywords: | Metabolism -- Disorders Obesity -- Case studies Metabolic syndrome |
Issue Date: | 2022 |
Publisher: | Springer New York LLC |
Citation: | Agius, R., Pace, N. P., & Fava, S. (2022). Sex differences in cardiometabolic abnormalities in a middle-aged Maltese population. Canadian Journal of Public Health, 1-17. |
Abstract: | Objectives: There are sex differences in distribution of fat and in the prevalence of overweight and obesity. We therefore sought to explore sex differences in the prevalence of adiposity-metabolic health phenotypes, in anthropometric and cardiometabolic parameters, and in the relationship between body mass index (BMI) categories and metabolic health. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study carried out between January 2018 and June 2019, of a nationally representative sample of the Maltese Caucasian population aged 41 ± 5 years. Metabolic health was defined as presence of ≤ 1 parameter of the metabolic syndrome as defined by the National Cholesterol Education Program-Adult Treatment Panel III criteria. Results: Males exhibited the unhealthy metabolic phenotype more frequently than women (41.3% vs 27.8%). In total, 10.3% of normal weight men and 6.3% of normal weight women were metabolically unhealthy. Males had a higher median BMI, but a lower proportion of males exhibited an abnormally high waist circumference as compared with females. A significant difference in sex distribution was noted for each body composition phenotype. Conclusion: In a contemporary sample of middle-aged individuals, males were more metabolically unhealthy and more insulin resistant than their female counterparts in spite of exhibiting an abnormal waist circumference less frequently and having similar waist index. This suggests that the currently used cut-offs for normal waist circumference should be revised downwards in men. Since even normal weight men were more often metabolically unhealthy than normal weight women, BMI cut-offs may also need to be lowered in men. |
URI: | https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/92947 |
Appears in Collections: | Scholarly Works - FacM&SAna |
Files in This Item:
File | Description | Size | Format | |
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Sex_differences_in_cardiometabolic_abnormalities_in_a_middle_aged_Maltese_population.pdf Restricted Access | 1.35 MB | Adobe PDF | View/Open Request a copy |
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