Abstract
BackgroundBody fat distribution is, next to overall obesity, an important risk factor for cardiometabolic outcomes in the general population. In particular, visceral adipose tissue (VAT) is strongly associated with cardiometabolic risk factors. Since it is unclear whether body fat distribution is also important in men and women with obesity we investigated the associations between measures of body fat distribution and cardiometabolic risk factors in men and women with obesity.MethodsIn this cross-sectional analysis of obese men and women (BMI≥30 kg/m2) included in the Netherlands Epidemiology of Obesity Study, waist:hip ratio(WHR), waist circumference, and MRI-based abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue (aSAT) and VAT were determined. Associations between measures of body fat distribution and presence of ≥1 risk factor, such as hypertension or hypertriglyceridemia, were examined using logistic regression analyses; stratified by sex and adjusted for age, ethnicity, education, tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity and depending on the association additionally for total body fat or VAT.ResultsWe included 2,983 obese individuals (57% women) with a mean age of 56 and standard deviation (SD) of 6 and mean BMI of 34.0 kg/m2 (4.0), after exclusion of individuals with missing values of cardiometabolic risk factors (n = 33). 241 individuals were obese without other cardiometabolic risk factors. In obese women, all measures of body fat distribution except aSAT (OR per SD:0.76, 95%CI: 0.53, 1.10) were associated with having ≥1 cardiometabolic risk factor, of which VAT most strongly associated (5.77; 3.02, 11.01). In obese men, associations of body fat distribution and the presence of cardiometabolic risk factors were attenuated. (e.g. VAT:1.42; 0.84, 2.41).ConclusionsIn obese women, but less so in men, measures of body fat distribution, of which VAT most strongly, are associated with cardiometabolic risk factors.
Highlights
Obesity has become a major health problem and in several countries its prevalence keeps rising.[1, 2] It has been estimated that obesity was responsible for 3.4 million deaths in 2010 worldwide.[3]
Visceral adipose tissue (VAT) is strongly associated with cardiometabolic risk factors. Since it is unclear whether body fat distribution is important in men and women with obesity we investigated the associations between measures of body fat distribution and cardiometabolic risk factors in men and women with obesity
We included 2,983 obese individuals (57% women) with a mean age of 56 and standard deviation (SD) of 6 and mean BMI of 34.0 kg/m2 (4.0), after exclusion of individuals with missing values of cardiometabolic risk factors (n = 33). 241 individuals were obese without other cardiometabolic risk factors
Summary
Obesity has become a major health problem and in several countries its prevalence keeps rising.[1, 2] It has been estimated that obesity was responsible for 3.4 million deaths in 2010 worldwide.[3]. In addition to overall obesity, body fat distribution, abdominal obesity in particular, has emerged as an important risk factor for type 2 diabetes and CVD in the general population.[4, 5] It has been proposed that the excess risk of cardiometabolic disease associated with abdominal obesity is due to the presence of large amounts of visceral adipose tissue (VAT), which is highly metabolically active.[6] Next to insulin resistance, VAT has been associated with hypertension and subclinical atherosclerosis in the general population.[7] Since body fat distribution is sexually dimorphic and sex hormones may play a role in the adverse effects of VAT, associations of VAT with cardiometabolic risk factors may differ between men and women. Since it is unclear whether body fat distribution is important in men and women with obesity we investigated the associations between measures of body fat distribution and cardiometabolic risk factors in men and women with obesity.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
