The association of body fat distribution with lifestyle and reproductive factors in women aged 45-54 in Kinmen County, Republic of China.

This community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Kinmen County, R.O.C. The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors that influence Chinese women's body fat distribution, including demographic, lifestyle, reproductive, and anthropometric variables. Participants were 1310 women aged 45-54 years. We measured waist/hip ratio (WHR), age, education level, occupation, alcohol consumption, diet, physical exercise, smoking, age at menarche, parity, menopausal status, age at menopause, and obesity (body mass index, BMI). Lower BMI, premenopausal status, and higher education level were primary correlated factors of gynecoid pattern body fat distribution. Higher BMI and postmenopausal status were the main correlated factors of android pattern body fat distribution. Lifestyle factors did not show any significant association with body fat distribution. As in Western countries, overall obesity and menopausal status are the determinants of body fat distribution. Controlling overall obesity is the key factor that can be addressed in public education programs to reduce the risk of high WHR, which plays an important role in the development of some chronic diseases.