AUTHOR=Zhou Jiacai , You Linlin , Zhou Xin , Li Yuying 

TITLE=Associations between metabolic score for visceral fat and adult lung functions from NHANES 2007–2012

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Nutrition

VOLUME=11

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2024.1436652

DOI=10.3389/fnut.2024.1436652

ISSN=2296-861X

ABSTRACT=<sec id="sec1"><title>Background</title><p>Obesity is a significant part of the factors affecting lung function, and the assessment of obesity using the Metabolic Score for Visceral Fat (METS-VF) is more precise than other indicators like waist circumference and body mass index. This study investigated the relationship between lung function and METS-VF in The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database from 2007 to 2012.</p></sec><sec id="sec2"><title>Method</title><p>The data utilized in this study was obtained from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey spanning the years 2007 to 2012. A multivariate linear regression analysis was employed to investigate the association between METS-VF and lung function, followed by subgroup analysis to identify populations that may exhibit heightened sensitivity. Nonlinear correlations were assessed by fitting a restricted cubic spline, with validation of results conducted via threshold effect analysis.</p></sec><sec id="sec3"><title>Result</title><p>In a study involving 4,356 participants, a weighted multiple linear regression model revealed a significant negative association between the METS-VF and forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), FEV1/FVC ratio, and forced expiratory flow between 25 and 75% of FVC (FEF25-75%). However, no association was observed with peak expiratory flow rate (PEF). When dividing the METS-VF into thirds, participants in the highest third exhibited significantly decreased levels of FEV1 (<italic>β</italic>: −342, 95%CI: −440, −245, <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.001), FVC (<italic>β</italic>: −312, 95%CI: −431, −192, <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.001), FEV1/FVC (<italic>β</italic>: −0.020, 95%CI: −0.030, −0.010, <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.001), and FEF25-75% (<italic>β</italic>: −424, 95%CI: −562, −285, <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.001). However, there was no significant relationship with PEF (<italic>β</italic>: −89, 95%CI: −325, 147, <italic>p</italic> = 0.446). RCS curve indicated a nonlinear negative correlation between METS-VF and FEV1, FVC, and FEV1/FVC. For FEV1, a significant negative correlation was found when the METS-VF &lt; 6.426 (<italic>β</italic> = −158.595, 95%CI: −228.183, −89.007). This negative association became more pronounced when the METS-VF &gt; 6.426 (<italic>β</italic> = −314.548, 95%CI: −387.326, −241.770). For FVC, a negative association was observed when the METS-VF &lt; 6.401, (<italic>β</italic> = −5.477, 95%CI: −91.655, 80.702), but it did not reach statistical significance. However, METS-VF &gt; 6.401, METS VF and lung function show a significant negative correlation (<italic>β</italic> = −399.288, 95%CI: −486.187, −312.388). FEV1/FVC showed a negative correlation only before the inflection point (METS-VF &lt; 6.263) (<italic>β</italic> = −0.040, 95%CI: −0.047, −0.032), after the inflection point (METS-VF &gt; 6.263), no correlation was found, but there was no statistical significance (<italic>β</italic> = 0.000; 95%CI: −0.006, 0.007), and METS-VF had a linear negative correlation with FEF25-75%. Subgroup analysis showed that the association was consistent across a variety of demographic factors, including age, sex, race, hypertension, and coronary heart disease. In addition, we found a stronger association between men under 40 and lung function.</p></sec><sec id="sec4"><title>Conclusion</title><p>METS-VF showed a linear negative correlation with FEF25-75%, and a nonlinear negative correlation with FEV1, FVC, FEV1/FVC, and FEF25-75%, but was not associated with PEF, particularly among males under the age of 40. These findings offer valuable insights into managing lung function by controlling visceral fat.</p></sec>