The Altered Fluid Distribution in Obesity May Reflect Plasma Hypertonicity

Citation

Stookey, Jodi Dunmeyer; Barclay, D. V.; Arieff, A.; & Popkin, Barry M. (2007). The Altered Fluid Distribution in Obesity May Reflect Plasma Hypertonicity. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 61(2), 190-199.

Abstract

Objective: This study explored whether the increased extracellular relative to intracellular fluid (ECF/ICF) ratio in obesity might reflect osmotic effects of elevated plasma solute concentrations.
Design: Cross-sectional, epidemiological survey.
Setting and subjects: The present analysis used nationally representative data from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey on community-dwelling adults (aged 40–59 years) in the US without evidence of glucose dysregulation or chronic disease (n=1285).
Intervention: Body mass index (BMI) was estimated from measured height and weight. Total body reactance, an index of body fluid distribution, was determined by bioelectrical impedance analysis. Plasma tonicity (the cumulative index of osmotically effective plasma solute) was estimated from plasma glucose, sodium and potassium. Sex-specific relative odds of lower reactance (less than or equal to50 Omega/m for women, less than or equal to40 Omega/m for men) and plasma hypertonicity (tonicity greater than or equal to295 mmol/l) associated with overweight (25less than or equal toBMI <30) and obesity (BMIgreater than or equal to30) were estimated using logistic regression models that controlled for sociodemographic variables, smoking, leisure-time physical activity, total energy intake, serum creatinine, plasma insulin and glucose. Multinomial logistic regression models tested for associations between weight status and specific serum solute.
Results: Independent of covariates, in men and women, overweight and obesity were associated with increased odds of lower reactance and hypertonicity. Overweight and obese individuals with lower reactance had significantly higher serum sodium than normal weight individuals.
Conclusions: Elevated plasma solute concentrations are associated with obesity in free-living adults. Physicians and researchers should be alert to a possible link between hypertonicity and obesity.

URL

http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602521

Reference Type

Journal Article

Year Published

2007

Journal Title

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition

Author(s)

Stookey, Jodi Dunmeyer
Barclay, D. V.
Arieff, A.
Popkin, Barry M.

ORCiD

Popkin - 0000-0001-9495-9324