C-reactive protein is independently associated with total body fat, central fat and insulin resistance in adult women

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations are influenced by body composition, insulin resistance, and body fat distribution in healthy women. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study of CRP plasma levels in adult women. SUBJECTS: A total of 201 apparently healthy normal weight, overweight, and obese women, aged 18-60 y. MEASUREMENTS: CRP plasma levels, several fatness and body fat distribution parameters (by bioimpedance analysis and anthropometry), and insulin resistance (HOMA(IR)), as calculated by homeostatic model assessment. RESULTS: CRP was positively correlated with age, body mass index (BMI), waist, fasting glucose and insulin, HOMA(IR), fat-free mass (FFM) and fat mass (FM). After multivariate analyses, age, HOMA(IR), waist and FM maintained their independent association with CRP. CONCLUSION: Our study has shown an independent relationship of central fat accumulation and insulin resistance with CRP plasma levels, thus suggesting that mild, chronic inflammation may be a further component of the metabolic syndrome and a mediator of the atherogenic profile of this syndrome.