Look AHEAD: abdominal obesity associated with albuminuria

Albuminuria was associated with increased BMI and abdominal obesity in overweight and obese adult patients with type 2 diabetes, but not percent total body fat.

Researchers measured BMI and waist circumference in 4,985 men and women enrolled in the Look AHEAD study. Whole-body DEXA scans measured total body fat percentage in 1,352 patients. The researchers used logistic regression analysis to calculate odds of albuminuria by quartiles of BMI, waist circumference and percent total body fat for 1,351 patients.

More than half (59%) of the patients in the highest quartile of total body fat percentage were also in the highest quartile of BMI, and 47% were in the highest quartile of waist circumference. Microalbuminuria was reported in 19.2% of patients and macroalbuminuria in 2.7% of patients.

Researchers identified an approximate two-fold increased risk for albuminuria in patients in the highest quartile of BMI and waist circumference when compared with patients in the lowest quartile.

“The study was limited by the smaller sample size for total body fat and the lack of direct measure of visceral fat,” the researchers wrote. “Nonetheless, these findings contribute to existing data that demonstrate an urgent need to determine whether behavioral interventions that reduce abdominal obesity retard the development and progression of albuminuria.”

Kramer H. Diabetes Care. 2009;32:851-853.