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Cited by 12Reproductive Health and TechnologiesOvarian function and disordersObesity, Physical Activity, Diet

Association of body roundness index with female infertility: 2013–2018 NHANES

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Wang, Wenhui, Hou, Shengdi, Wang, Kun, Ling, Bin, Yu, Huan·2024·Frontiers in Nutrition
DOI 10.3389/fnut.2024.1416637PMC PMC11561710
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Abstract

Aim: This study aims to understand the association between body roundness index (BRI) and female infertility prevalence. Infertility is a public health concern with significant implications for individuals’ well-being and rights. Methods: All individuals who completed the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) between 2013 and 2018 were initially included in this cross-sectional study. Following the screening, 2,777 eligible participants were selected for analysis from the original pool of 10,375 participants. Trained operators conducted anthropometric measurements, including height, weight, and waist circumference. The BRI was then calculated based on established research. Data from infertility status questionnaires were gathered from the NHANES database for all participants, with self-reported infertility serving as the study outcome. Multivariable logistic regression and restricted cubic splines (RCS) were employed to investigate the relationship between BRI and infertility. Subgroup analyses were also conducted to further explore the association between BRI and infertility. Results: Upon analyzing the baseline characteristics of all women in the study, notable distinctions were identified in the clinical and demographic features between fertile and infertile women. Our investigation revealed a positive correlation between BRI and the likelihood of infertility in both weighted and unweighted multiple logistic regression models. Additionally, BRI exhibited a significant association with infertility in both continuous and categorical forms. Utilizing RCS curves, we noted a linear escalation in the prevalence of infertility with rising BRI values. Subgroup analyses provided further clarity on these observations. Conclusion: Our study demonstrates a statistically significant positive correlation between BRI and the prevalence of infertility across diverse populations, suggesting potential implications for infertility prevention and treatment. Future prospective cohort studies will explore this association and understand the underlying mechanisms.

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  • The inclusion of height in the BRI formula distinguishes it from other obesity indices such as WWI or VAI, allowing it to more thoroughly reflect body composition and fat distribution.

    “Additionally, the inclusion of height in the BRI formula distinguishes it from other obesity indices such as WWI or VAI, allowing it to more thoroughly reflect an individual’s body composition and fat distribution14,20,21.”

    From The nonlinear association between body roundness index and infertility in married women (2025) · cites this paper as [20]

    The Methods (BRI measurement; page unavailable) give a formula that includes height, and the Discussion (page unavailable) says incorporating height helps BRI reflect body shape and fat distribution more comprehensively than waist circumference alone. The paper does not make the claimed comparison with WWI or VAI, so it does not establish that height distinguishes BRI from those indices. (LLM, conf=0.87)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Inflammatory cytokines released by visceral fat may negatively impact fertility by impairing endometrial receptivity.

    “Moreover, the inflammatory cytokines released by visceral fat may negatively impact fertility by impairing the endometrial receptivity necessary for successful implantation20,38.”

    From The nonlinear association between body roundness index and infertility in married women (2025) · cites this paper as [20]

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Wang, W., Hou, S., Wang, K., Ling, B., & Yu, H.
Affiliations
  • Capital Medical University (CN)
  • China-Japan Friendship Hospital (CN)
Corresponding author
Yu, Huan
ORCID
Venue
Frontiers in Nutrition
Publisher
Frontiers Media SA
Published
2024-10-30
Volume
11
Pages
1416637-1416637
ISSN
2296-861X (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.3389/fnut.2024.1416637
PMC
PMC11561710
OpenAlex
W4403910658
Cited by
12
References
3
Citations by year
2026: 5 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 1
FWCI
4.73
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Frontiers in Nutrition (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Funders
China-Japan Friendship Hospital
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Reproductive Medicine › Reproductive Health and Technologies
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Reproductive Medicine › Ovarian function and disorders
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet
Keywords
body roundness index, female infertility, body composition, waist circumference, anthropometry, obesity, infertility prevalence, NHANES

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