Fat Bone Ratio: A New Measurement of Obesity

Abstract

Importance: This study proposed a new radiographic measure of obesity that is a better predictive indicator of obesity‐related risk: Fat/Bone Ratio. Primary Objective: Does the Fat/Bone Ratio correlate with obesity. Secondary Objective: Does the Fat/Bone Ratio correlate more closely with the comorbidities of obesity as compared to BMI. Design: Retrospective review of 2703 upright posterior‐anterior (PA) and lateral chest radiographs obtained from June 2013 through May 2014. The soft tissue height overlying the acromioclavicular joint was calculated and divided by the mid‐clavicle width to determine the Fat/Bone Ratio. Comorbidities of obesity were determined through chart review. Setting: Adult community emergency department. Participants: All adults (age greater than 18). Main Outcomes and Measures: BMI, Fat/Bone Ratio, comorbidities: hypertension, obstructive sleep apnea, osteoarthritis, hyperlipidemia, atherosclerosis, coronary artery disease, cerebrovascular accident, and myocardial infarction. Results: Fat‐to‐Bone ratio and BMI were both significantly associated with hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, obstructive sleep apnea, and osteoarthritis (P < .05). However, only Fat/Bone Ratio is associated with atherosclerosis (p = 0.02), coronary artery disease (p = 0.001), myocardial infarction (p = 0.002), and peripheral vascular disease (p = 0.01); BMI is not associated with these comorbidities (p = 0.90, 0.42, 0.25, and 0.50, respectively). Conclusions and Relevance: Findings suggest that Fat/Bone Ratio is an improved measure of obesity as compared to BMI.