Triglyceride-to-High-Density-Lipoprotein-Cholesterol Ratio as a Predictor of Metabolic Syndrome According to Stage of Life at Obesity Onset in Women with Severe Obesity—A Pilot Study

Abstract

The triglyceride-to-high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (TG/HDL-c) ratio is a simple but effective indicator of metabolic imbalance that characterizes metabolic syndrome (MetS) and can consequently indicate a higher cardiovascular risk. It may, therefore, be useful in identifying a high risk for cardiometabolic diseases according to the onset of obesity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between MetS and the stage of life at obesity onset and to establish the cutoff point for the TG/HDL-c ratio as a marker of MetS in women with severe obesity. Forty-seven women who were to undergo bariatric surgery were evaluated. Anthropometric and metabolic parameters were measured, and the TG/HDL-c ratio was calculated. The volunteers were grouped according to their stage of life at obesity onset. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was constructed to define cutoff points for the TG/HDL-c ratio as predictors of MetS. Women who developed obesity early (during infancy/adolescence) had higher weight (p = 0.008), body mass index (p = 0.031), and hip circumference (p = 0.036) than those who developed obesity later (in adulthood); however, no association was found between obesity onset and MetS. The cutoff points for the TG/HDL-c ratio that were established for those who developed early or late obesity were 2.30 and 2.19, respectively. Although the stage of life at the onset of obesity was not related to MetS, different cutoff points for the TG/HDL-c ratio were observed.