Author(s)

Fabien Kintoki Mbala^1,2, Junior Mabidi Mbangi¹, Aliocha Natuhoyila Nkodila³, Jean-Robert Makulo Risassi^1,4, Pascal Bayauli⁵, Eleuther Kintoki Vita^1,2, Benjamin Longo-Mbenza^1,2,6*, Raoul Gombet⁷, Christian Kisoka Lusunsi⁸

¹Faculty of Medicine, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, DR Congo.
²Cardiology Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, University Clinics of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, DR Congo.
³Department of Family Medicine and Primary Health Care, Protestant University in Congo, Kinshasa, DR Congo.
⁴Nephrology Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, University Clinics of Kinshasa, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, DR Congo.
⁵Cardiometabolic Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, University Clinics of Kinshasa, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, DR Congo.
⁶Walter Sisulu University, Mthatha, South Africa.
⁷Marien Ngouabi University, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo.
⁸Department of Public Health, Lomo University of Research, Kinshasa, DR Congo.

Objective: This study aimed to determine searching for the determinants of regional obesity (visceral and subcutaneous obesity) within the cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF) in patients followed in cardiology at the University Clinics of Kinshasa (UCK) in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Material and Methods: Cross-sectional and analytical study had sought the determinants of regional obesity (visceral and subcutaneous obesity) by bio-impedance inside the CVRF during the period from July 1 to September 31, 2014. The multivariate analysis (logistic regression) has established the levels of association between regional obesity and CVRF. The statistical significance threshold was set at p < 0.05. Results: A total of 642 patients participated in the present study. The frequencies of visceral and subcutaneous obesity were respectively 45.5% (without significant distinction between the two sexes: Men 48% n = 92/188 vs. Women 44.1 n = 200/454; p = 0.148) and 60.7% with a predominance in women (36.2 n = 68/188 vs. 70.9% n = 322/454; p < 0.001). The CVRF found that alongside regional obesity was: advanced age, tobacco use, alcohol use, physical inactivity, high blood pressure (HBP), diabetes mellitus (DM) and Chronic renal failure (CRF) in the respective proportions of 50.8%, 13.4%, 44.2%, 86.3%, 10.7%, 13.4% and 0.3%. The determinants of regional obesity were advanced age, smoking and obesity on body mass index (BMI) for visceral obesity; advanced age, female gender, alcohol intake and obesity on BMI and waist circumference (WC) as well as hypertriglyceridemia for subcutaneous obesity. Conclusion: This study showed a significant frequency of regional obesity with the following determinants: advanced age, female gender, smoking, alcohol, BMI/WC obesity and hypertriglyceridemia.

Regional, Visceral, Subcutaneous Adipose Tissue, Bio-Impedance, Determinant, CVRF, DRC

Mbala, F. , Mbangi, J. , Nkodila, A. , Risassi, J. , Bayauli, P. , Vita, E. , Longo-Mbenza, B. , Gombet, R. and Lusunsi, C. (2022) Determinants of Regional Obesity (Visceral and Subcutaneous Obesity) within Cardiovascular Risk Factors in the Cardiology Department of the University Clinics of Kinshasa. World Journal of Cardiovascular Diseases, 12, 444-456. doi: 10.4236/wjcd.2022.129046.