The age- and sex-specific association between metabolic body composition and lung function: a cross-sectional study.

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the association between body composition and lung function. Metabolic body composition can independently predict the risk of poor lung function. Accordingly, this cross-sectional observational study included adults aged ≥18 years who attended annual health examinations at Xiamen Chang-Gung Hospital from 2013 to 2016. The study evaluated the association between lung function and metabolic body composition, after correcting for possible influencing factors. Males had a higher body mass index and waist-to-hip ratio and a higher prevalence of smoking and drinking histories. Additionally, men showed significantly higher mean arterial pressure, fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, insulin, and homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance values than those of women (all p < 0.001). The proportion of metabolically healthy obesity (MHO) and metabolically unhealthy obesity (MUO) was also higher in men than in women (17.91% vs. 25.20% and 11.28% vs. 13.67%, respectively). However, female participants demonstrated better pulmonary function. The prevalence of restrictive lung disease (RLD) was substantially higher in men than in women. The study findings suggest that MUO, and to a lesser extent, metabolic obesity with normal weight (MONW), are independent risk factors for RLD. These results imply that MUO, and to a lesser extent, MONW, may serve as potential screening markers for preclinical RLD in annual health checkups.