(P20-044-25) Concordance of Methods for Adiposity Assessment and the Complementary Role of the Adiponectin/Leptin Ratio in Obesity

Objectives: Methodologies such as dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) and bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) are commonly used for estimating body composition. Excess adiposity and low lean mass are associated with adipose tissue dysfunction, and the adiponectin/leptin ratio has been suggested as a biomarker to evaluate this dysfunction. This study aimed to evaluate the concordance between DEXA and BIA estimates of body composition and assess the correlation of body mass with the adiponectin/leptin ratio.

Methods: Forty adults with excess weight underwent body composition assessments using DEXA and BIA (two measurements per subject). Bland-Altman plots and correlation coefficients were used to evaluate the agreement of the fat mass percentage (%FM), fat mass index (FMI), free fat mass index (FFMI), visceral fat (VAT), and segmental body composition between the two methods. Waist circumference (WC) and the metabolic score for visceral fat (METS-VF) were also calculated and related to VAT. Finally, correlations of all variables and adiponectin/leptin ratio were calculated.

Results: BIA showed a strong and significant correlation and concordance with DEXA for %FM, FMI, and FFMI (r=0.93, 0.93 and 0.94, respectively; bias < 8.5%). Segmental body composition showed better correlations for lean mass (r=0.94 to 0.97 ) than for fat mass (r=0.64 to 0.89). However, BIA appears to be a poor tool for assessing VAT (r=0.36) whereas METS-VF and WC showed a stronger correlation with DEXA VAT (r=0.77 and 0.69, respectively). Segmental (trunk and limbs) and total fat mass (%FM and FMI) estimated by both methods were negatively correlated with the adiponectin/leptin ratio (r=-0.47 to -0.78, all p< 0.05).

Conclusions: Obesity is characterized by excess adiposity, with or without dysfunction of adipose tissue. BIA and DEXA show strong agreement in assessing body composition in individuals with excess weight,  reinforcing their clinical utility. Simpler measures like waist circumference and METS-VF can estimate VAT when DEXA is unavailable. The evaluation of the adiponectin/leptin ratio provides a better understanding of obesity, as excess adiposity may decrease this ratio and impair adipose tissue function.

Funding Sources: This study was funded by Vidarium Research Center and the Colombian Ministry of Science (Project 679091391684).