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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1996

Insulin resistance and body fat distribution.

Body fat distribution can be assessed by computed tomography (CT). The ratio of umbilicus was used to classify obese subjects as having visceral fat obesity (VFO) or subcutaneous fat obesity (SFO). Serum triglyceride and total cholesterol levels and plasma glucose area in an oral glucose tolerance test were higher in patients with VFO than in those with SFO. Significant positive correlations were demonstrated between V/S ratio and plasma glucose area, serum triglyceride level, and total cholesterol level as well as systolic or diastolic blood pressure. VFO was more frequently associated with coronary artery disease. Moreover, VFO was more often accompanied by multiple risk factors than was SFO. Steady-state plasma glucose (SSPG) level was significantly higher in patients with VFO than with SFO, suggesting that insulin resistance may be more remarkable in VFO than in SFO. Furthermore, visceral fat accumulation was also associated with these complications even in nonobese subjects. Visceral fat area (VFA) was significantly correlated with fasting plasma glucose, serum triglyceride, and total cholesterol levels. Animal models such as Goto-Kakizaki (GK) rats with ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH) lesions and Otsuka-Long-Evans-Tokushima-Fatty (OLETF) rats were accompanied by visceral fat accumulation and an early stage of aortic atherosclerosis. Aging, sex hormone, genetic, and dietary factors and physical inactivity may induce visceral fat accumulation. Visceral fat is characterized by its high lipogenic activity as well as its accelerated lipolytic activity. High levels of portal free fatty acids (FFAs) may eventually result in an enhancement of hepatic triglyceride synthesis, causing hyperlipidemia. High portal FFA levels would also induce insulin resistance, thereby causing glucose intolerance, hypertension, and finally atherosclerosis. We propose a term, "visceral fat syndrome," as a highly atherogenic state, which includes visceral fat accumulation, glucose intolerance (insulin resistance), hyperlipidemia, and hypertension.

Adipose Tissue↗

PubMed1990

Plasma lipids and apoproteins, body fat distribution and body fatness in early pubertal children.

Besides body fatness, the body fat distribution is associated with coronary risk in adults, but little has been reported on this aspect in children. This study describes body fatness, body fat distribution (waist-to-hip ratio, WHR) and the plasma lipid and apoprotein profile (TC, HDL-C, LDL-C, TG, apo A-I and apo B) in 60 boys (age 10.8 +/- 0.1 year; mean +/- s.e.m.) and 64 girls (age 10.2 +/- 0.1 year), all caucasian. To avoid interference by the large changes in plasma sex hormone levels during puberty, only pre- and early pubertal children (Tanner stages of genital c.q. breast development 1 or 2) participated. Physical and sports activity was scored in hours per week using a questionnaire. The boys were taller than the girls (146.2 +/- 0.7 vs 143.2 +/- 0.9 cm; ANOVA, P less than or equal to 0.05) and their WHR was larger (0.88 +/- 0.01 vs 0.83 +/- 0.01; ANOVA, P less than or equal to 0.05). The boys spent 8.0 +/- 0.4 hours weekly on physical and sports activities, the girls 5.5 +/- 0.3 (ANOVA, P less than or equal to 0.05). The plasma lipid and apoprotein profiles were similar in both groups. Body fatness was significantly associated with the lipid and apoprotein profile, although in different ways in boys and girls. In boys there was a relationship with TG (r = 0.49), with apo B (r = 0.33) and with the apo A-I to apo B ratio (r = -0.24); in girls with TG (r = 0.25), HDL-C (r = -0.39), apo A-I (r = -0.28) and with the HDL-C to TC ratio (r = -0.31); P less than 0.05 for all correlations. A regional component of the subcutaneous fatmass, assessed by the partial correlations of the individual skinfold thicknesses with the plasma lipid and apoprotein profile after controlling for body fatness, was lacking in these early and prepubertal children. The WHR was associated with TC (r = 0.35), LDL-C (r = 0.32), apo B (r = 0.36) and with apo A-I/apo B (r = -0.34) in the girls after controlling for body fatness. Although closer investigation into the validity of the WHR as a measure of fat distribution in children is needed, the tentative conclusion is that in pre- and early pubertal girls the WHR has an impact on the plasma lipid and apoprotein profile similar to that seen in adults. It is suggested that in boys these relationships develop later in puberty.

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PubMed2005

Body fat distribution, body composition, and respiratory function in elderly men.

BACKGROUND: Most population studies have reported weak or nonsignificant associations between body mass index (BMI; in kg/m2) and lung function. OBJECTIVE: This study focused on the distinct effects of fat distribution and body composition on lung function and examined these relations in elderly men. DESIGN: The study was a cross-sectional evaluation of 2744 men aged 60-79 y who were free of cardiovascular disease and cancer and were drawn from general practices in 24 British towns. Anthropometric and body-composition [including fat mass (FM), fat-free mass (FFM), and percentage body fat (%BF) evaluated with bioelectric impedance] measurements were made, and lung function was examined by using spirometry. RESULTS: Height-standardized forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) was diminished only in lean (BMI < 22.5) and obese (BMI > or = 30) men, but forced vital capacity (FVC) tended to decrease with increasing BMI (P < 0.01). All other measures of adiposity [ie, waist circumference (WC), waist-hip ratio (WHR), FM, and %BF] were significantly and inversely related to FEV1 and FVC after adjustment for confounders, including age and cigarette smoking (all: P < 0.05). This was seen both in nonobese (BMI < 30) and obese men. FFM was positively associated with FEV1 (P = 0.03) and to a lesser extent with FVC. Higher BMI and FFM were both associated with reduced odds of a low FEV1-FVC ratio (ie, <70%). CONCLUSION: Total body fat and central adiposity are inversely associated with lung function, but increased FFM reflecting increases in muscle mass is associated with increased lung function and lower odds of low FEV1:FVC in the elderly.

Adipose Tissue↗

PubMed2006

Effects of pioglitazone versus glipizide on body fat distribution, body water content, and hemodynamics in type 2 diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: Pioglitazone, a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor agonist and glipizide, an insulin secretagogue, are commonly used to treat type 2 diabetes. Our study was designed to examine the effects of pioglitazone versus glipizide on body water, body composition, and hemodynamic parameters in the presence of comparable glycemic control between groups. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We studied 19 diabetic subjects randomly assigned to either 45 mg pioglitazone (n = 8) or 10 mg (median dose) glipizide (n = 11) for 12 weeks. Body water content was measured with deuterated water, body composition by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and computed tomography, and cardiac output and systemic vascular resistance by acetylene rebreathing technique both before and after therapy. RESULTS: Pioglitazone increased (P < 0.001 from baseline) total body water (+2.4 +/- 0.5 l) accounting for 75% of the total weight gain (+3.1 +/- 2.0 kg) but did not alter vascular endothelial growth factor concentrations. Total abdominal (-32.2 +/- 19 cm(2)) and visceral fat area (-16.1 +/- 8 cm(2)) tended to decrease with pioglitazone but increased (P < 0.02 for differences between groups) with glipizide (+38.4 +/- 17 cm(2) abdominal; +19.1 +/- 9 cm(2) visceral). Pioglitazone tended to reduce (P = 0.05) diastolic (-8.4 +/- 4 mmHg) and mean (-9.5 +/- 5 mmHg; P = 0.08) blood pressure and reduced (P < 0.001) systemic vascular resistance (2,785 +/- 336 vs. 2,227 +/- 136 dynes/s per m(2)), while there were no differences in these parameters with glipizide. Neither therapy altered circulating catecholamine concentrations. CONCLUSIONS: When pioglitazone and glipizide are given in doses sufficient to achieve equivalent glycemic control in people with type 2 diabetes, pioglitazone increases total body water, thereby accounting for the majority of weight gain, tended to decrease visceral and abdominal fat content and blood pressure, and reduces systemic vascular resistance.

Adult↗

PubMed1990

Influence of body fat distribution during childhood on body fat distribution in adulthood: a two-decade follow-up study.

Development of body fat distribution was assessed in a two-decade follow-up study. The present article describes the development of various trunk/extremity ratios and gives the figures by age and sex between 1 month to 21 years. The relationship between adult and childhood skinfold (SF) ratio measurements is weak in boys and slightly better in girls. From the present and our previous study, we can select adiposity measurements in children which both are associated to pathologies and have the best correlations with adult values, i.e. the body mass index (BMI) in both sexes, trunk SF in boys and the subscapular/arm SF ratio in girls. Consequently, a boy with both high BMI and trunk SF values or a girl with both high BMI and subscapular/arm SF values have an increased risk of centralized obesity at adult age.

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PubMed2003

Relation of adiposity and body fat distribution to body mass index in Australians of Aboriginal and European ancestry.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the relations of adiposity and body fat distribution to body mass index (BMI) in Australians of Aboriginal and European ancestry. DESIGN: Cross-sectional volunteer samples. SETTING: Australian Aboriginal communities in remote central and northern Australia, urban European Australians resident in Melbourne, Australia. SUBJECTS: Healthy Aboriginal (130 women, 120 men) and European Australians (100 women, 47 men) with a BMI<30 kg/m(2), aged 18-35 y; all women were nonpregnant. INTERVENTIONS: Anthropometric variables and resistance-using a four-terminal impedance plethysmograph-were measured. RESULTS: Aboriginal women and men were significantly shorter and weighed less than European Australians (P<0.05). Aboriginal women had a significantly larger waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR, P<0.0005) compared to European Australian women. The sum of four skinfold thicknesses (SFT) (S4) and trunk SFT was higher in Aboriginals as compared to European Australian women (P<0.0005); however, limb SFT tended to be lower (P=0.06). On the other hand, BMI was significantly lower in Aboriginals compared to European Australian men (P=0.011), as was hip circumference (P=0.001); however, WHR was significantly (P=0.007) higher. On regression analysis, Aboriginal women and men were significantly heavier than European Australians for the same height(2)/resistance (surrogate for fat-free mass) and S4 (surrogate for subcutaneous fat); and that Aboriginal men had a significantly higher BMI (by 1.2 kg/m(2); P<0.0005) for any given S4 and height(2)/resistance values, compared to European Australian men. CONCLUSION: Aboriginal and European Australians have a significantly different body fat distribution and fat mass for a given body weight or BMI. Use of the World Health Organization recommended BMI ranges to determine weight status may be inappropriate in Australian Aboriginal people.

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PubMed2001

Body fat distribution and total body fat as risk factors for microalbuminuria in the obese.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Despite evidence linking type of obesity with subsequent organ malfunction, such a link with renal malfunction has not been widely researched. The aim of this study was to investigate percentage of total body fat (%TBF), and body fat distribution in relation to the renal function in overweight/obese subjects. METHODS: Body mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), TBF (by bioelectric impedance), and albumin excretion rate (AER) were determined in 77 subjects: 48 overweight/obese (BMI > or =27.8 for men and > or =27.3 for women) and 29 controls (BMI <27.8 for men and <27.3 for women). Obese subjects were subdivided into those (n = 33) with central fat distribution (WHR > or =0.81 for women and > or =0.92 for men) and those (n = 15) with peripheral fat distribution (WHR <0.81 for women and <0.92 for men). RESULTS: Obesity, irrespective of type, was significantly related to increased AER. Furthermore, in subjects who did not differ in %TBF, the age-adjusted relative risk of abnormal AER was 18 times greater in centrally obese subjects as compared with controls, while only four times greater in peripherally obese subjects. CONCLUSION: A significant difference in risk of renal malfunction was observed in individuals having the same %TBF, but differing in the distribution of this fat, with a central fat pattern being the greater risk.

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PubMed1997

Effects of body fat distribution on body size estimation accuracy among obese women.

UNLABELLED: Body fat distribution is a reliable predictor of the health risks of obesity. Abdominal obesity (AO) has been associated with various health complications whereas gluteal-femoral obesity (GFO) appears to be less hazardous. Body size overestimation, a type of body image disturbance, is found in a subset of obese persons. OBJECTIVE: The current study examined body size estimation accuracy as a function of body fat distribution. DESIGN: Cross-sectional, retrospective review of clinical records. SUBJECTS: 101 obese women (Mean age = 39.4) joining a weight loss program. MEASUREMENTS: Subjects provided body size estimates using a live video distortion procedure and were grouped into tertiles (AO; Mixed type obesity (MTO); GFO) on the basis of their waist-to-hip ratios. RESULTS: GFO women had significantly lower body size estimates and felt thinner than did AO or MTO women. In addition, more AO women (20.6% vs GFO: 8.8%) overestimated their body size by more than 15% whereas more GFO women (29.4% vs AO: 5.9%) underestimated their body size by more than 15%. CONCLUSION: Body fat distribution appears to be a mediator in body size estimation accuracy. These findings are discussed in terms of possible differences in perceptual and societal experiences among the groups.

Abdomen↗

PubMed1991

The relation of body fat distribution and body mass with haemoglobin A1c, blood pressure and blood lipids in urban Japanese men.

The relation of body fat distribution and body mass with haemoglobin A1c, blood pressure and blood lipids were examined in 874 men aged 40 to 59 not taking medication for diabetes mellitus and who worked for an urban company in Japan. Body fat distribution was measured by the waist hip circumference ratio. Body mass was estimated by Quetelet index. Haemoglobin A1c was measured from casual venous blood samples by high-pressure liquid chromatography. Measurement of haemoglobin A1c was validated by a 75 g oral glucose tolerance test conducted in a 7% sample. There was a dose-response relation between waist-hip ratio and haemoglobin A1c concentration while the relation between body mass index and haemoglobin A1c was not evident. Using linear regression to control for age, serum total cholesterol, usual alcohol consumption, cigarette smoking and body mass index, the positive association between waist-hip ratio and haemoglobin A1c remained significant (p = 0.02). This was not true for the positive association between body mass index and haemoglobin A1c (p = 0.32). Both waist-hip ratio and body mass index were positively associated with blood pressure and serum total cholesterol, and inversely associated with HDL-cholesterol. The associations of waist-hip ratio with blood pressure and blood lipids were significant after controlling for body mass index. Therefore, the waist-hip ratio is a correlate of both glucose abnormalities and known coronary risk factors in urban Japanese men even when body mass is controlled for.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Glycemic index and glycemic load in relation to changes in body weight, body fat distribution, and body composition in adult Danes.

BACKGROUND: A diet with a high glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL) may promote overconsumption of energy and increase the risk of weight gain. OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to investigate the relation between GI and GL of habitual diets and subsequent 6-y changes in body weight, body fat distribution, and body composition in a random group of adult Danes. DESIGN: A prospective cohort study was conducted in a subsample of men and women from the Danish arm of the Monitoring Trends and Determinants in Cardiovascular Disease study. The subsample comprised 185 men and 191 women born in 1922, 1932, 1942, or 1952. A baseline health examination and a dietary history interview were carried out in 1987 and 1988; a follow-up health examination was performed in 1993 and 1994. RESULTS: Positive associations between GI and changes in body weight (DeltaBW), percentage body fat (Delta%BF), and waist circumference (DeltaWC) were observed in women after adjustment for covariates. Significant GI x sex x physical activity interactions for DeltaBW, Delta%BF, and DeltaWC were observed, and the associations in the sedentary women were particularly positive. No significant associations with GI were observed in men, and no significant associations with GL were observed in either sex. CONCLUSIONS: High-GI diets may lead to increases in BW, body fat mass, and WC in women, especially in sedentary women, which suggests that physical activity may protect against diet-induced weight gain. No associations with GI were observed in men, which suggests sex differences in the association between GI and obesity development.

Adult↗

PubMed2001

Body fat distribution and body composition during GnRH agonist therapy.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the effects of GnRH agonist therapy on body composition (lean and fat mass components) and body fat distribution. METHODS: Fifteen women with uterine leiomyomas were given a GnRH agonist (leuprorelin acetate, 3.75 mg) monthly for 4 months. Weight, height, and body mass index (BMI, weight/height) were recorded. Regional and total body composition, trunk-leg fat ratio, bone mineral density of the lumbar spine (L2-L4), and total body were assessed by whole-body scanning with dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry before and after treatment. Uterine volume was measured by transabdominal ultrasonography. RESULTS: The mean (+/- standard deviation [SD]) lean mass of total body, trunk, and leg decreased significantly (36.3 +/- 4.9 to 35.4 +/- 4.4 kg, P <.01; 18.8 +/- 2.8 to 18.1 +/- 2.8 kg, P <.05; and 11.4 +/- 1.8 to 11.1 +/- 1.6 kg, P <.05; respectively), whereas body fat mass, percentage of body fat, and trunk fat mass increased significantly (20.8 +/- 4.8 to 21.8 +/- 4.6 kg, P <.01; 34.9 +/- 5.9 to 36.5 +/- 5.2%, P <.01; and 8.6 +/- 3.0 to 9.3 +/- 3.0 kg, P <.01; respectively). Trunk-leg fat ratio increased significantly (1.03 +/- 0.32 to 1.12 +/- 0.33, P <.05). Weight, BMI, arm tissue composition (lean and fat mass components), and leg fat mass did not change during 4 months of GnRH agonist therapy. Bone mineral density and uterine volume decreased significantly. CONCLUSION: Hypogonadism by GnRH agonist therapy induces lean mass loss, increased adiposity overall, and upper body fat accumulation.

Absorptiometry, Photon↗

PubMed1997

Health consequences of fat distribution.

Body fat distribution is now recognized as an important predictor of the adverse health consequences of obesity. Upper body obesity, especially with increasing visceral fat, is associated with hypertension, insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, type II diabetes mellitus and premature coronary death. Several lines of evidence suggest that abnormal adipose tissue lipolysis, resulting in elevated free fatty acid (FFA) availability, may contribute to some of the metabolic consequences of upper body obesity. The vast majority of the elevated systemic FFA release appears to come from upper body, non-splanchnic adipose tissue. Thus, dysregulation of upper body, non-splanchnic adipose tissue lipolysis may play an important role in contributing to health consequences of fat distribution.

Adipose Tissue↗

PubMed1991

The effect of intensive endurance exercise training on body fat distribution in young and older men.

Little is known about the effects of exercise interventions on the distribution of central and/or intra-abdominal (IA) fat, and until now there were no studies in the elderly. Therefore, in this study we investigated the effects of an intensive 6-month endurance training program on overall body composition (hydrostatic weighing), fat distribution (body circumferences), and specific fat depots (computed tomography [CT]), in healthy young (n = 13; age, 28.2 +/- 2.4 years) and older (n = 15; age, 67.5 +/- 5.8 years) men. At baseline, overall body composition was similar in the two groups, except for a 9% smaller fat free mass in the older men (P less than .05). The thigh and arm circumferences were smaller (P = .001 and P less than .05, respectively), while the waist to hip ratio (WHR) was slightly greater in the older men (0.92 +/- 0.04 v 0.97 +/- 0.04, P less than .01). Compared with the relatively small baseline differences in body composition and circumferences, CT showed the older men to have a twofold greater IA fat depot (P less than .001), 48% less thigh subcutaneous (SC) fat (P less than .01), and 21% less thigh muscle mass (P less than .001). Following endurance (jog/bike) training, both the young (+18%, P less than .001) and the older men (+22%, P less than .001) significantly increased their maximal aerobic power (VO2max). This was associated with small but significant decrements in weight, percent body fat, and fat mass (all P less than .001) only in the older men.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Abdomen↗

PubMed2001

Body fat, fat distribution and serum lipids, lipoproteins and apolipoproteins in African-American and Caucasian-American prepubertal children.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the present study was to determine the impact of body fat mass and fat distribution on serum lipids, lipoproteins and apolipoproteins in African-American and Caucasian-American prepubertal children. SUBJECTS: Study participants included 62 African-American children (age 8.3+/-1.4 y; body mass 37.3+/-13.6 kg; height 133+/-11 cm) and 39 Caucasian children (age 8.6+/-1.2 y; body mass 34.1+/-11.0 kg; height 131+/-9 cm). METHODS: Venous blood samples were obtained after a 12 h overnight fast and serum was analyzed for total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), triacylglycerol (TAG), apolipoprotein A-I (ApoA-I), apolipoprotein B (ApoB) and lipoprotein (a) (Lp(a)) concentrations. Body composition and body fat distribution were measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and computed tomography, respectively. RESULTS: African-American children had lower TAG (46+/-20 vs 61+/-32 mg/dl, P=0.015) and higher Lp(a) (34+/-25 vs 17+/-28 mg/dl, P=0.001) and HDL-C (44+/-11 vs 39+/-8 mg/dl, P=0.041). There were no ethnic differences in TC, ApoA-I and ApoB (P=0.535, P=0.218, P=0.418, respectively). The ethnic difference in TAG and Lp(a) was not explained by total fat or abdominal fat. The ethnic difference in HDL-C was explained by visceral fat and TAG. CONCLUSION: In prepubertal children, neither body fat nor fat distribution explain the ethnic difference in TAG or Lp(a), but visceral fat and TAG may contribute to differences in HDL-C.

Absorptiometry, Photon↗

PubMed1998

Obesity, body fat distribution and body build: their relation to blood pressure and prevalence of hypertension.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the relation of skeletal body build and obesity to blood pressure and the prevalence of hypertension. DESIGN: Cross-sectional data obtained from the baseline recruitment of the EPIC-Potsdam Study, which is part of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC). SUBJECTS: A total of 10,303 subjects (4387 men, aged 40-65 y and 5916 women, aged 35-65 y) were recruited between January 1995 and July 1996. MEASUREMENTS: Anthropometric measures included body mass index (BMI), waist-hip ratio (WHR) and metrik index (MIX) as a measure of body build that is derived from the relation of chest depth and breadth to body height. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure was obtained using automatic oscillometric devices. Hypertension was defined as blood pressure > or = 160/95 mmHg or current use of antihypertensive medication. Information on lifestyle factors were obtained by personal interview. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Logistic regression was used to define the association of categories of BMI, WHR, and MIX and the prevalence of hypertension. Odds ratios (ORs) of being hypertensive were estimated comparing the highest to the lowest quintile, adjusting for age, smoking status, alcohol intake level, educational attainment, physical activity categories, and each of the anthropometric variables. RESULTS: The simultaneously adjusted OR of being hypertensive, comparing the highest vs the lowest category, was for BMI 2.3 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.6-3.2) in men and 1.8 (95% CI = 1.4-2.5) in women, for WHR 1.8 (95% CI = 1.4-2.4) in men and 1.5 (95% CI = 1.2-2.0) in women, and for MIX (largest chest size vs lowest chest size relative to body height) 2.0 (95% CI = 1.4-2.8) in men and 2.2 (95% CI = 1.6-3.1) in women. CONCLUSION: In addition to measures of overall obesity (BMI) as well as central obesity (WHR), skeletal body build (MIX) was independently associated with the prevalence of hypertension. The biological mechanism relating MIX to hypertension, however, is still unclear and needs further exploration.

Adipose Tissue↗

PubMed1995

The importance of body fat distribution in early life.

It is possible that many of the conflicting findings concerning obesity and cardiovascular disease may be the result of the heterogeneous nature of obesity, adn that only certain subgroups of the obese are at increased risk. Over the last several decades, much attention has focused on the distribution of body fat as an important characteristic in the metabolic and clinical alterations associated with obesity. Several studies have shown that a relative excess of adipose tissue in the upper body, abdominal region, or at various truncal sites is associated with an increased risk of disease; furthermore, these associations are independent of the general level of obesity. This article presents a brief historical overview of the idea of body fat distribution, the measurement techniques that have been used, and the complications associated with an adverse distribution of body fat distribution; particular emphasis is given to studies that have examined fat patterning in early life. Although most investigators recognize that body fat distribution is important in the development of cardiovascular disease, several questions remain.

Adipose Tissue↗

PubMed2000

Utility of different measures of body fat distribution in children and adolescents.

The distribution of body fat has been shown to be an important determinant of cardiovascular disease risk. The purpose of this study was to evaluate which method of evaluating body fat distribution compares most favorably with dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. The study included 201 children and adolescents aged 7-17 years who were recruited from Cincinnati, Ohio, schools in 1992-1993. The strongest correlate of fat distribution was waist circumference (r = 0.80). Age was a more important determinant of fat distribution than was pubertal maturation. There was a greater relative deposition of central body fat with increasing age. Multiple regression analysis demonstrated that waist circumference was the best simple measure of fat distribution, since it was least affected by gender, race, and overall adiposity. Waist circumference is easy to determine and is a useful measure of fat distribution for children and adolescents.

Absorptiometry, Photon↗

PubMed2004

[Body fat distribution: its characteristics and relationship to cardiovascular risk factors in obese Chinese].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the distribution of body fat and analyze its characteristics and relationship with metabolic variables in obese Chinese. METHODS: In this observational, cross sectional study, the total body fat mass was measured using body mass index (BMI), and as an index of intra-abdominal fat accumulation, the ratio of the visceral (VA) to abdominal subcutaneous (SA) adipose area (VSR) was determined using a computed tomography (CT) scans made at the level of L4/L5 in 309 obese human subjects (male 88; female 221). Blood pressure (BP), fasting serum lipids such as triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high density lipoprotein(HDL-c), low density lipoprotein (LDL-c), and serum uric acid (UA) were also determined. RESULTS: (1) There were no differences between the male and the female subjects in regard to age, BMI, SBP, LDL-c and HDL-c. SA was significantly greater in women, whereas VA and VSR were significantly greater in men; DBP, UA, TC and TG were significantly higher in men than in women. (2) In both men and women, VSR was significantly higher in obese Chinese than in obese European and Americans. Age, TG and LDL-c were higher in subjects with visceral fat obesity (VFO) than in those with subcutaneous fat obesity (SFO). In males, TC,UA were significantly higher in VFO than in SFO. (3) 57 paired cases of male and female subjects matched for VSR were studied, and significant higher levels of serum UA and TG were noted in the male than in the female subjects. (4) After being adjusted for age and BMI, the analyses of partial correlation showed that in both men and women, VSR was positively correlated with TG and LDL-c, and SA was negatively correlated with LDL-c. In men, VA was positively correlated with SBP, and SA was negatively correlated with TG. In women, VA was positively correlated with TG, LDL-c; SA was negatively with LDL-c, but it was positively correlated with HDL-c and UA. (5) Stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that SA, VA, VSR were independent predictor for TG and LDL-c, SBP, and TC respectively (adjusting R2=0.079, 0.193, 0.122, 0.072, P=0.005, 0.000, 0.001, 0.007, respectively) in males. In females. VSR was an independent predictor for TG and LDL-c (adjusting R2=0.024, 0.113, P=0.012, 0.000 respectively); both BMI and SA were important predictors for UA and HDL-c, and SA was an important predictor for SBP. CONCLUSION: The above data suggest that in obese Chinese, the body fat distribution is characterized by central obesity, the cardiovascular risk factors are not only associated with general obesity but more closely associated with regional body fat distribution (VFO), and the relationships between regional body fat distribution and metabolic variables vary with gender.

Adipose Tissue↗