Abstract

            Background
            Several studies have verified body fat distribution in association with pulmonary function (PF), mainly waist circumference, but few have used measures able to distinguish abdominal fat compartments. The present study aims to verify the association of visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) with PF measures.
          
          
            Methods
            In 1982, all hospital births occurring in Pelotas, Brazil, were identified and those livebirths have been followed. In 2012–13, the cohort participants were evaluated and VAT and SAT measured using ultrasound; forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1) or forced vital capacity (FVC) were patronized in z-scores stratified by sex. The associations were verified using crude and adjusted linear regressions.
          
          
            Results
            The present analyses comprised 3438 individuals (1721 women). VAT was inversely associated with spirometric parameters, in both crude and adjusted models. SAT showed inverse associations in the crude analyzes in males and a positive trend after adjustment, except for SAT and FVC in males. To each centimeter of VAT, mean adjusted FEV1 z-scores decreased 0.072 (95% CI -0.107; −0.036) in men and 0.127 (95% CI -0.164; −0.090) in women, and FVC z-scores decreased −0.075 (95% CI -0.111; −0.039) and 0.121 (95% CI -0.158; −0.083), in men and women, respectively.
          
          
            Conclusions
            VAT has a consistent inverse association with FEV1 and FVC in both sexes. On the other hand, SAT showed inconsistent results with PF parameters.