OBJECTIVETo investigate the relative effects of degree and distribution of body fat with several cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors in elderly Chinese subjects.

METHODSOne hundred and thirty-five elderly Chinese individuals (age range, 60-65 y) without any history of significant renal, hepatic or cardiac disease were recruited. Seated blood pressure, anthropometric and fasting plasma biochemical parameters were measured. Student's t-test was used to compare the differences in biochemical and anthropometric markers between cohorts.

RESULTSMales were heavier (64.6 +/- 8.6, 57.2 +/- 8.2kg, P < 0.001), taller (1.65 +/- 0.06, 1.51 +/- 0.05 m, P < 0.001) and their greater body fat was predominantly deposited centrally (Waist-to- hip ratio, 0.91 +/- 0.06, 0.88 +/- 0.07, P < 0.05). Females were more generally obese with increased body mass index (BMI, 23.8 +/- 4.6, 25.0 +/- 3.5 kg/m2, P < 0.05) and percentage body fat [26.3% (24.5%-28.1%) vs 37.2% (36.0%-38.9%), P < 0.001] than the males. However, despite an 11% higher proportion of body fat in females, no significant differences were identified in blood pressure, lipid profile, indices of insulin resistance or albumin-to-creatinine ratios.

CONCLUSIONIt is likely that central adiposity contributes disproportionately to these metabolic disorders in males even though they are much leaner than elderly Chinese females.