Relationships between 3-y longitudinal changes in body mass index, waist-to-hip ratio, and metabolic variables in an active French female population

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Abstract
Three-year longitudinal changes in body mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), and metabolic variables were examined in 209 active French women. For the entire group, a weak but significant positive association was found between change in BMI and change in WHR. However, analysis of covariance according to the degree of abdominal fat distribution showed a heterogeneity of this association that was confined to women with abdominal fat distribution. Changes in BMI were positively associated with changes in total cholesterol (P < 0.05), triglycerides (P < 0.10), and blood pressure (P < 0.001), whereas changes in WHR were associated with changes in triglycerides (P < 0.05) and diastolic blood pressure (P < 0.10). These longitudinal results suggest that a more favorable body-fat pattern and metabolic profile might be achieved by reducing weight, or at least by preventing weight gain, particularly in women with high abdominal-fat distribution.

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