Mediating Role of Insulin Resistance in the Association Between Body Composition and Hypertension.

INTRODUCTION

Hypertension, a major cardiovascular risk, is affected by body composition and metabolism.

AIM: We assessed the associations of body composition with hypertension and the mediating role of insulin resistance (IR).

METHODS

In Hefei Hongsifang Company, 743 employees aged 40-60 were recruited consecutively. Logistic regression was used to assess the association between body composition and hypertension risk. Mediation analysis was conducted to explore the mediating role of IR between body composition and hypertension risk.

RESULTS

Individuals with higher body fat percentage (BF%) (OR = 2.44, 95% CI 1.64-3.65, P < 0.001) and Visceral adiposity index (VAI) (OR = 2.22, 95% CI 1.39-3.55, P < 0.001) had significantly higher odds of hypertension. Conversely, higher levels of skeletal muscle mass percentage (SMM%) (OR = 0.35, 95% CI 0.21-0.56, P < 0.001), total body water percentage (TBW%) (OR = 0.36, 95% CI 0.23-0.59, P < 0.001), and bone mineral content percentage (BMC%) (OR = 0.34, 95% CI 0.21-0.54, P < 0.001) were all linked to lower odds of hypertension. IR significantly mediated the associations between body composition and hypertension risk. The mediation proportions were as follows: 29.4% for BF%, 61.5% for VAI, 33.7% for SMM%, 34.9% for TBW%, and 31.4% for BMC%.

CONCLUSION

Our study demonstrated that, in middle-aged individuals, lower BF% and VAI, as well as higher SMM%, TBW%, and BMC%, were independently associated with a reduced risk of hypertension. IR partially mediated the associations between body composition and hypertension.