Sex-specific characteristics associated with the elevated triglyceride to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio in a population-based study

• Published in: Obesity medicine 2019-12, Vol.16, p.100151, Article 100151
• Main Authors: Espírito Santo, Luçandra R., Faria, Thaís O., Anjos, Nilcinádia A., Xavier, Lorena A., Mota, Gabriel A., Silveira, Marise F., Mill, José Geraldo, Baldo, Marcelo P.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Dyslipidemia; HDL; Sex differences; Triglycerides
• ISSN: 2451-8476; 2451-8476
• DOI: 10.1016/j.obmed.2019.100151

Evidence suggests that changes in the ratio of triglycerides to HDL-c (TG/HDL-c) predict metabolic and cardiovascular diseases, but the factors that might be associated with TG/HDL-c and whether they would be different between men and women are still unknown. We aimed to identify the sex-specific variables associated with TG/HDL-c in adults. This cross-sectional population-based study investigated 1603 adults not taking lipid-lowering medication. Sociodemographic characteristics were obtained in a home interview. Blood lipids were measured in participants instructed to fast for at least 10 h. Anthropometric parameters were obtained using standard methods. TG/HDL-c increases in men towards the higher educational categories, while in women, it decreases in those with a higher educational level. Additionally, TG/HDL-c was higher in the highest socioeconomic class in men but lower in women. In men, age, overweight/obesity, sedentary behavior, and those with higher educational levels were independently associated with high TG/HDL-c (4th quartile). In women, however, overweight/obesity, hypertension, diabetes and tobacco smoking were associated with higher TG/HDL-c, while brown and black women presented lower chances of having a high TG/HDL-c than that of white women. Men and women have different characteristics that are associated with a higher TG/HDL-c, highlighting the need for individualized approaches for preventing cardiometabolic diseases based on sex-specific differences in the TG/HDL-c. •A cross-sectional view of a population-based study investigating 1603 participants not taking lipid-lowering medication.•TG/HDL-c ratio increases with BMI and WC, regardless of sex.•TG increases approximately 4-fold while HDL-c decreases 1.3-fold from the lowest quartile to the highest one.•Age, overweight/obesity, sedentarism, lower education level were independently associated with high TG/HDL-c ratio in men.•Overweight/obesity, hypertension, diabetes and tobacco smoking were associated to higher TG/HDL-c ratio in women.