Do Cardiovascular Disease Risk Indices Differ Based on The Body Roundness Index Among First Responders?

Authors

Samantha Umfrid, Sam Houston State UniversityFollow
Michael Conner, Bond UniversityFollow
Steven E. Martin, Texas A&M University, College StationFollow
Matthew J. McAllisterFollow
Drew E. GonzalezFollow

Abstract

First responders need simple, cost-effective health assessments to reduce cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. The Body Roundness Index (BRI) has emerged as a potential tool for evaluating health over the past decade, but has not yet been used among first responder groups. PURPOSE: We compared CVD risk biomarkers across BRI quartile groups. METHODS: Archival data from annual clinical testing on 170 first responders were analyzed. The BRI was categorized into quartiles: Q1 (<3.1), Q2 (3.1-3.7), Q3 (3.7-4.6), and Q4 (>4.6). The 2013 Thomas et al. equation calculated BRI, using waist circumference (Wc) and height (Ht): BRI = 364.2 – 365.5 x √[1 – ((Wc/2π)² / (Ht/2)²]. Blood and salivary biomarkers assessed CVD risk. GLM analyses examined differences across BRI groups and occupational groups. Fisher’s LSD tests and 95% confidence intervals assessed pairwise mean differences. The significance level was p ≤ 0.05. Effect sizes were measured with partial Eta squared (η_p²): >0.01 and <0.06 (small), >0.06 and <0.14 (medium), >0.14 (large) effect. RESULTS: The GLM multivariate analysis revealed no statistically significant overall Wilk's Lambda for the occupational group (p = 0.083, η_p² = 0.094), BRI group (p = 0.181, η_p² = 0.064), or BRI by occupational group (p = 0.505, η_p² = 0.047). Univariate analysis showed a statistically significant difference in C-reactive protein (CRP; p = 0.022, η_p² = 0.090) for the BRI group, as well as a statistically significant difference in advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP; p = 0.028, η_p² = 0.047) for the occupational group. Pairwise comparisons found that Q1 had lower concentrations of CRP compared to Q4 (-0.107 mg/mL [-0.176, -0.039], p = 0.002). In addition, pairwise comparisons revealed that firefighters had higher AOPP concentrations than police (38.207 µM [4.261, 72.153], p = 0.028). CONCLUSION: The BRI showed a limited capacity to differentiate between cardiovascular and oxidative stress biomarkers in first responders. Only CRP varied across BRI groups, with lower BRI linked to less inflammation. Firefighters also demonstrated higher oxidative stress, indicated by AOPP, compared to law enforcement officers. Although BRI provides a straightforward measure of adiposity, it may not comprehensively reflect cardiometabolic risk in tactical personnel populations.

Recommended Citation

Umfrid, Samantha; Conner, Michael; Martin, Steven E.; McAllister, Matthew J.; and Gonzalez, Drew E. (2026) "Do Cardiovascular Disease Risk Indices Differ Based on The Body Roundness Index Among First Responders?," International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings: Vol. 2: Iss. 18, Article 35.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/ijesab/vol2/iss18/35