Obesity is a well-established factor in infertility, with research highlighting its impact on reproductive health. While the body mass index (BMI) has traditionally been used to evaluate obesity, recent studies suggest that the body roundness index (BRI), a more precise measure of visceral fat, may offer greater insight. Despite this, the connection between visceral fat accumulation and infertility remains debated and underexplored.
In light of this, a new study utilized data from the 2017-2020 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) to examine the relationship between BRI and infertility.
Methods and Approach
The study applied various statistical techniques, including multiple logistic regression, smoothed curve fitting, subgroup analyses, and interaction tests, to probe the potential link between BRI and infertility. Additionally, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was employed to compare the predictive capabilities of BRI and BMI for assessing infertility risk, calculating key metrics such as the area under the curve (AUC), sensitivity, and specificity.
Study Population and Results
The analysis included 1,463 women aged 20 to 45, among whom 172 were identified as infertile. After accounting for all factors aside from body measurements, results showed that each unit increase in BRI was associated with a 19% rise in infertility risk (OR = 1.19, 95% CI 1.05, 1.34). The relationship between BRI and infertility was found to be nonlinear. Furthermore, ROC curve analysis indicated that BRI was a more accurate predictor of infertility risk than BMI, with AUC values of 0.5773 for BRI and 0.5681 for BMI.
Conclusion
This study underscores the positive association between elevated BRI and infertility in adult women, offering evidence that BRI may be a stronger predictor of infertility risk than BMI. These findings provide valuable insights into the role of visceral fat in reproductive health and suggest that BRI could serve as a more effective tool in assessing infertility risk.
Related topics:
Gut Microbe Disrupts Progesterone Metabolism, Affects Fertility Treatment Success
