Objective: To determine whether body composition and fasting insulin levels explained variation in left ventricular (LV) function and geometry.
Participants: Sixty-two children, 7 to 13 years of age.
Results: For LV mass/height the partial correlation (age controlled) with percentage of fat was r = 0.34 (p = 0.008) and the correlation with (Ln)insulin was r = 0.25 (p = 0.051); multiple regression showed that independent proportions of the variance were explained by gender (boys > girls), ethnicity (black > white subjects), and percentage of fat (p = 0.015). Nonnormalized LV mass was correlated (age controlled) with fat-free mass (r = 0.76; p < 0.001), fat mass (r = 0.58; p < 0.001), and (Ln) insulin (r = 0.27; p = 0.0359); multiple regression showed that fat-free mass and fat mass explained independent proportions of the variance. Percentage of fat was correlated (age controlled) with greater relative wall thickness (r = 0.34; p = 0.008) and lower midwall fractional shortening (-0.37; p = 0.004).
Conclusion: Body fatness was cross-sectionally associated with levels of LV function and geometry that in adults have been found to lead to morbidity and death. The relationship of fatness to LV mass may be due to the higher insulin concentrations in the fatter children. These cross-sectional results are consistent with the hypothesis that excess fatness may adversely influence cardiovascular health early in life.