Associations between Body Mass Index and serum levels of C-Reactive Protein

Abstract

Background: Obesity imposes increased risks of cardiovascular disease and glucose intolerance, a phenomenon of chronic inflammation. This study was performed to determine whether higher body mass index (BMI) and central obesity are associated with low-grade inflammation.
Methods: 8453 adults aged 20 years and older, were analyzed. Every subject completed a household interview, BMI measurement, serum C-reactive protein (CRP) measurement, and a questionnaire regarding personal health. BMI was divided into quintiles, using multiple linear regression to estimate the relationship between CRP level and BMI quintiles. An extended-model approach was used for covariate adjustment. The association of central obesity and CRP level was examined with this method as well.
Results: After controlling for demographics, chronic diseases, health behaviors, and levels of folate and vitamin B12, the β coefficient, representing the change of natural-log-transformed levels of CRP for each 1 kg/m2 increased in BMI, was 0.078( P<0.001). The CRP levels also increased across increasing quintiles of BMI (P for trend <0.001). The β coefficient, representing the change of natural-log-transformed levels of CRP comparing subjects with central obesity to those without, was 0.876 (P<0.001).
Conclusion: Higher BMIs as well as central obesity are independently associated with higher levels of CRP.