Abdominal Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis Research Articles

Association of the COVID-19 pandemic with changes in objectively measured sedentary behaviour and adiposity

BackgroundSeveral studies have reported that the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has increased sedentary behaviour and obesity; however, these analyses used self-reported data, and the association between sedentary behaviour and visceral fat and adipocytokines during the COVID-19 pandemic remains unclear. We aimed to investigate the association of the COVID-19 pandemic with objectively measured sedentary behaviour and these obesity-related factors.MethodsLongitudinal analysis was conducted on 257 Japanese participants who underwent health check-ups in 2018 before and in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. For both time points, sedentary behaviour was measured using an accelerometer for at least 7 days, visceral fat area (VFA) was measured using abdominal bioelectrical impedance analysis, and blood adiponectin level was measured using latex agglutination turbidimetric immunoassay. Multiple linear regression was performed to determine the association between sedentary behaviour and these outcomes.ResultsCompared with data in 2018, sedentary behaviour and VFA were significantly increased (P < 0.001, P = 0.006) whereas adiponectin level was significantly decreased (P < 0.001) in 2020. Increased sedentary behaviour was significantly associated with an increase in VFA (β = 3.85, 95% CI 1.22–6.49, P = 0.004) and a decrease in adiponectin level (β = −0.04, 95% CI −0.06 to −0.01, P = 0.005). However, the association of sedentary behaviour with adiponectin level was not significant after considering the effects of VFA.ConclusionsThe COVID-19 pandemic was associated with objectively measured sedentary behaviour and obesity-related factors in Japanese adults. Additionally, an increase in sedentary behaviour was associated with an increase in VFA, whereas the association of sedentary behaviour with adiponectin was partly mediated by VFA. These results suggest that avoiding increasing sedentary time is important to prevent visceral adiposity thereby ameliorating adiponectin, especially during behavioural limitations such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Visceral Fat Area Measured by Abdominal Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis in School-Aged Japanese Children.

Abdominal bioelectrical impedance analysis (aBIA) has been in use to measure visceral fat area (VFA) in adults. Accurately measuring visceral fat using aBIA in children is challenging. Forty-six school-aged Japanese children aged 6–17 years (25 boys and 21 girls) were included in this study. All were measured, and their VFA obtained using aBIA (VFA-aBIA) and abdominal computed tomography (CT) (VFA-CT) were compared. VFA-aBIA was corrected using the Passing–Bablok method (corrected VFA-aBIA). The relationships between corrected VFA-aBIA and obesity-related clinical factors were analyzed, including non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and serum leptin and adiponectin levels. Boys had higher VFA-CT than girls (p = 0.042), although no significant differences were found in their waist circumference, waist-to-height ratio, and body mass index. The corrected VFA-aBIA using y = 9.600 + 0.3825x (boys) and y = 7.607 + 0.3661x (girls) correlated with VFA-CT in both boys and girls. The corrected VFA-aBIA in patients with NAFLD was higher than that in those without NAFLD. Serum leptin and adiponectin levels were positively and negatively correlated with corrected VFA-aBIA, respectively. In conclusion, corrected VFA-aBIA was clearly correlated with VFA-CT and was related to NAFLD and serum leptin and adiponectin levels in school-aged Japanese children.

Visceral Fat Area by Abdominal Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis as a Risk of Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

This is the first study to evaluate directly visceral fat area (VFA) using a visceral fat (VF) meter by the abdominal bioelectrical impedance analysis (A-BIA) method in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients diagnosed with polysomnography (PSG). The purpose of this study is to clarify (1) whether VFA measurement using a VF meter by the A-BIA method is possible even in a private clinic without burdening patients and staff and (2) how much VFA affects OSA compared to body mass index (BMI). Even without a computed tomography scan, which is the gold standard for VFA measurement, a VF meter could analyze patients by the A-BIA method and easily measure VFA. Therefore, it could be used safely even in a private sleep clinic, with very little burden on the patients and the medical staff. We investigated the association between OSA and VFA in 133 OSA patients. Multiple regression analysis revealed that VFA (β = 0.28; P = 0.020) was a stronger coexisting factor for OSA than age, male gender, or BMI (β = 0.26; P = 0.032) in all OSA patients. In the OSA patients with VF accumulation, only VFA was a significant component of OSA severity (β = 0.36; P = 0.006). The A-BIA method instrument could become a useful device for the evaluation of VF accumulation in OSA patients in private sleep clinics. VF accumulation should be recognized as an important risk factor as well as a known risk factor for OSA.

Visceral fat accumulation is associated with risk of diabetes in community‐dwelling Japanese older adults

The prevalence of diabetes generally increases with age, and older adults with diabetes are at a higher risk of adverse outcomes. Visceral fat accumulation is a well-known risk factor for diabetes in middle-aged adults, and its association with diabetes increases with age. The present study investigated the association between visceral fat and risk of diabetes in older adults that is yet to be completely elucidated. This cross-sectional study enrolled 2850 community-dwelling older adults. Participants underwent abdominal bioelectrical impedance analysis to estimate the visceral fat area (VFA). The risk of diabetes was assessed using the value of hemoglobin A1c according to the diagnostic criteria of diabetes. We examined the relationship of VFA and risk of diabetes, and explored the optimal cut-off value stratified by sex. In total, 47 of 1640 (2.9%) women and 41 of 1210 (3.4%) men had a high risk of diabetes. Higher values of VFA in units of 10 cm2 were significantly associated with a higher risk of diabetes for both women (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 1.17; 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 1.02-1.34) and men (aOR: 1.18; 95% CI: 1.06-1.31) in multivariate logistic regression analysis. The cut-off value to classify 30% of subjects into high VFA (72 cm2 ) had a relatively higher sensitivity of 0.660 and was significantly associated with a higher risk of diabetes for women (aOR: 3.49; 95% CI: 1.54-8.12), whereas all cut-off values we examined had no relation in men. Increases in VFA is associated with a high risk of diabetes in older adults but the optimal cut-off value is inconclusive in men. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2021; ••: ••-••.

Visceral Fat Accumulation Is Associated with Mild Cognitive Impairment in Community-Dwelling Older Japanese Women.

Visceral fat accumulation is detrimental for brain health and is associated with cognitive impairment in older adults. The objectives of the present study were to examine the association between visceral fat accumulation and prevalence of mild cognitive impairment and its subtypes. a cross-sectional study. This study enrolled 6,109 community-dwelling older adults, including 3,434 women (mean age: 74.4 years) and 2,675 men (mean age: 74.3 years). Individuals with dementia, Parkinson's disease, stroke, Mini-Mental State Examination scores ≤23, and who could not perform basic activities of daily living independently were excluded. Participants underwent neurocognitive assessments to assess mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and its subtypes. Visceral fat area (VFA) was measured using abdominal bioelectrical impedance analysis. Participants were divided into quartile groups by VFA. There were 731 (21.3%) women and 562 (21.0%) men with MCI, and the median VFA values were 63.3 cm2 and 96.3 cm2, respectively. Women participants in the second (adjusted odds ratios [aOR], 0.71; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 0.54-0.94), third (aOR, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.47-0.92), and fourth quartiles of VFA (aOR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.41-0.93) had a significantly lower risk of MCI than those in the first quartile. Higher VFA quartiles in women were associated with lower risk of non-amnestic MCI. There were no significant differences in men between quartiles. Visceral fat accumulation was associated with MCI, especially non-amnestic MCI, in community-dwelling older Japanese women. These results suggest that visceral fat accumulation is partially protective against cognitive impairment.

ABDOMINAL BIOELECTRIC IMPEDANCE FOR FOLLOW-UP OF DIETERS: A PROSPECTIVE STUDY.

Visceral adipose tissue (VAT) is a strong predictor of carbohydrate metabolism disorders. Abdominal bioelectrical impedance analysis (A-BIA) is a simple method for the measurement of VAT and is a promising tool in screening and follow-up of abdominal obesity. However the role of A-BIA in dieting individuals has not been evaluated adequately in longitudinal follow-up studies. The aim of this study is to determine the role of A-BIA in identifying the changes in metabolic predictors after diet and/or exercise therapy. All patients who sought weight loss treatment underwent baseline assessment and were prescribed a program of diet. After a mean follow-up of 3.2 months, data were analyzed. Ultimately, 103 participants who reported adhering to the diet, enrolled to the study. We tested associations between changes in body composition measures and changes in laboratory measures using correlations and multivariate linear regression analysis. Mean loss of body weight was 3.4±2.8 kg. All but waist-to-hip ratio, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels changed significantly (p<0.001). Decreases in body weight, body mass index (BMI), and VAT level significantly correlated with decreases in fasting blood glucose, fasting insulin level, and HOMA-IR score (r=0.230-0.371). In multiple linear regression analysis changes in BMI and VAT significantly correlated with change in HOMA-IR score (F(7.93)=2.283, p=0.034, R2=0.147). Decreases in BMI and VAT, as determined by A-BIA, were predictors of changes in metabolic laboratory measures. A-BIA is useful for follow-up of patients receiving diet therapy for weight loss.

EFFECTS OF FOOD AND DRINK INGESTION ON BODY COMPOSITION VARIABLES OF ABDOMINAL BIOELECTRICAL IMPEDANCE.

to know the changes in trunk fat and visceral fat level determined by abdominal bioelectrical impedance (BIA) as well as other anthropometric measures related to the central or abdominal fat after the ingestion of a lunch. the experimental study was conducted to assess a longitudinal intervention descriptive study. 21 subjects (10 male and 11 female), volunteers who have access to a medical assessment, with an age of 74 ± 13.43 years. Maximal waist circumference in standing position, waist circumference at navel level in supine position and sagittal abdominal diameter (SAD). In the same position trunk fat and visceral fat level by abdominal bioelectrical impedance analysis with Tanita AB-140 (ViScan) were obtained before and after meal. anthropometric measures as waist circumference in supine position and SAD did not show significant differences (P > 0.05), after food ingestion, except for a significant increase of the maximal waist circumference in standing position (P < 0.05). In addition trunk fat and visceral fat ratio did not change (P > 0.05). The percentage changes of the measures were less than 2% for waist circumference in standing position, waist circumference by Viscan, sagittal abdominal diameter and trunk fat and 5.9% for visceral fat ratio. the effects on trunk fat and visceral fat ratio by abdominal bioelectrical impedance are minimal after the ingestion of a portion of food and drink, although it is always recommended to do it in fasting conditions.

Comparison between two methods of bioelectrical impedance analyses for accuracy in measuring abdominal visceral fat area

ObjectivesTo compare the accuracy of abdominal visceral fat area (VFA) measurements between abdominal dual bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) and whole-body BIA referenced to computed tomography (CT) measures. MethodsAbdominal VFAs were measured in 102 individuals: 59 men and 43 women with a mean age of 44.2±16.3years (range 21 – 76), body mass index 23.9±7.8kg/m2 (range 18 – 35) using a DUALSCAN HDS-2000 machine (dual abdominal BIA) and an InBody720 machine (whole-body BIA). The VFA values from each machine were compared with those from CT under various conditions. ResultsMean abdominal VFAs were 116±69cm2 by CT, 89±47cm2 by dual abdominal BIA, and 84±33cm2 by whole-body BIA. The former measure showed a higher correlation with the CT measure than the latter (r=0.89 vs. r=0.64, P<0.001). Both BIA methods tended to underestimate abdominal VFAs compared with CT scans when CT VFA was not small. The dual abdominal BIA had less bias than the whole-body BIA in the assessment of VFAs. The whole-body BIA was affected by subcutaneous fat area. ConclusionsDual BIA was more accurate in assessing abdominal VFA than whole-body BIA.

Increased abdominal fat levels measured by bioelectrical impedance are associated with histological lesions of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.

Abdominal fat is considered to play an important role in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), although it is not adequately studied because abdominal fat levels cannot be estimated easily. In this study, associations between abdominal obesity, as assessed by abdominal bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), and the characteristics of patients with NAFLD were explored. Seventy-four consecutive NAFLD patients who underwent measurement of abdominal fat levels by BIA were included. Levels of abdominal fat 12.5 or less and more than 12.5 were considered to be average and increased, respectively. The mean±SD BMI was 30±4 kg/m and the mean abdominal fat levels were 16±5, whereas 26% of patients had average abdominal fat levels. Patients with average compared with those with increased abdominal fat levels were more frequently women (50 vs. 12%, P=0.001), had lower BMI (27±3 vs. 31±4 kg/m, P<0.001), lower Homeostasis Model Assessment index (2.6±1.4 vs. 3.9±2.7, P=0.045), and lower median liver stiffness on transient elastography (5.3 vs. 6.8 kPa, P=0.025). In patients with available liver biopsy, steatohepatitis was present more frequently in patients with increased compared with average abdominal fat levels (78 vs. 38%, P=0.030) and in patients with BMI 30 or more compared with less than 30 kg/m (87 vs. 48%, P=0.033), but similar in patients with increased or normal waist circumference (67 vs. 56%, P=0.693). Average levels of abdominal fat, as assessed by abdominal BIA, are mainly present in female patients with NAFLD and are associated with a lower degree of insulin resistance. Increased abdominal fat as assessed by BIA and obesity seem to represent strong risk factors for histological steatohepatitis.

腹部インピーダンス法を用いた内臓脂肪測定器

腹部インピーダンス法を用いた内臓脂肪測定器

The Body Mass Index and Waist Circumference as Predictors Of Body Composition in Post CSCI Wheelchair Rugby Players (Preliminary Investigations).

The enforced sedentary lifestyle and muscle paresis below the level of injury are associated with adipose tissue accumulation in the trunk. The value of anthropometric indicators of obesity in patients with spinal cord injuries has also been called into question. We hypothesized that the Body Mass Index recommended by the WHO to diagnose obesity in general population has too low sensitivity in case of wheelchair rugby players.The study group comprised 14 wheelchair rugby players, aged 32.6 ± 5.1 years, who had sustained CSCI (paralysis of lower limbs and upper extremities). The research tool was the Tanita Viscan visceral and trunk fat analyzer AB140 using the abdominal bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) to estimate the visceral fat level (Vfat) and trunk fat percentage (Tfat). The AB140 analyzer also allowed the measurement of body composition of those individuals who could not assume an upright position. Our analyses revealed high and very high correlation coefficients between Vfat and WC (r=0.9), WHtR (r=0.7) and Tfat (r=0.9) whereas the correlation between Vfat and the BMI was weak, especially in the subgroup with Vfat < 13.5% (r=0.2). The subgroup with Vfat>13.5 exhibited a moderate-level relationship between the BMI and visceral fat increase. It was concluded that the BMI had a low sensitivity for predicting obesity risk in wheelchair rugby players after CSCI. The sensitivity of WC measurement was higher and thus, it may be stated that it constitutes an objective tool for predicting obesity risk in post-CSCI wheelchair rugby players.

Ultrasound, anthropometry and bioimpedance: a comparison in predicting fat deposition in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

The aim of our study was the evaluation of anthropometric measurements [waist circumference and sagittal abdominal diameter (SAD)] and abdominal bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) (ViScan, TANITA) in comparison to several abdominal ultrasonographic (US) measurements to estimate visceral fat deposition and liver steatosis in a population of 105 subjects. All 105 patients underwent a complete anthropometric evaluation, blood sample for the determination of total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose, insulin, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, BIA and US measurements (peritoneal, pre-peritoneal, peri-renal, para-renal and peri-hepatic fat thickness). All the ultrasonographic markers considered in our study are related to the presence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and so is true for SAD. Comparing ROC curves, peritoneal fat tissue thickness, SAD and ViScan visceral index are significantly better than waist circumference in predicting the presence of NAFLD (AUC 0.79 ± 0.04; 0.81 ± 0.05; 0.82 ± 0.04 vs 0.76 ± 0.05, respectively). According to our data, various methods may be useful in evaluating NAFLD, but only ViScan visceral index, US peritoneal fat thickness and SAD are better than waist circumference. Among them, SAD is the most promising, due to its small cost and time consumption.

Performance of Abdominal Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis and Comparison with Other Known Parameters in Predicting the Metabolic Syndrome

Although obesity is a powerful risk factor for metabolic syndrome (MetS) it is not present in all obese individuals. Increased visceral adipose tissue is the hallmark of this syndrome. In this cross sectional survey we aimed to use abdominal bioelectrical impedance analysis to measure the visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and trunk fat percentages (TF%) in the study population, correlate these findings with traditional anthropometric measures and biochemical parameters of metabolic syndrome and estimate a cut-off value of visceral fat for development of MetS. A total of 285 subjects were enrolled. VAT and TF% were measured by the AB-140 device via abdominal bioelectrical impedance analysis. Fat% was measured by a body composition analyzer (TBF-300). VAT was significantly positively correlated with body mass index, waist circumference, TF%, HOMA IR, fat percentage, fasting plasma glucose and triglycerides. Strongest correlations were between VAT and TF%, VAT and device measured waist circumference and between VAT and manual waist circumference (r=0.95, r=0.93, r=0.92 respectively). Correlations of VAT and TF% with metabolic parameters were significant but weak. The mean VAT and TF% in MetS (+) groups were significantly higher than patients in MetS (-) groups in both sexes. The areas under the ROC curves were 0.730 (95% CI: 0.661-0.791) for female VAT and 0.702 (95% CI: 0.654-0.749) for male VAT in predicting MetS which were similar to the areas under ROC curves calculated for device and manually measured waist circumference, HOMA IR and TF% in predicting MetS (p>0.05 for all comparisons). The accuracy of VAT and TF% for predicting MetS was not sufficient. From our results we can deduce that the performance of abdominal BIA in predicting MetS is weak but could be used in the follow-up of patients with obesity and/or MetS. This has to be confirmed in future studies.

Anthropometry, ultrasonography and abdominal bio-electrical impedance as predictors of metabolic abnormalities in normal and obese subjects

Metabolic syndrome (MS) is an important cardiovascular risk factor and visceral fat plays a central role in its development. Visceral fat measurement by TC or MRI is difficult to apply in routine clinical practice. Our aim was to evaluate anthropometric measurements, abdominal ultrasonography (US) and a new abdominal bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) (ViScan, TANITA) as predictors of metabolic abnormalities. 105 subjects, (age 52.8 ± 14.7 years, BMI of 29.2 ± 5.3 kg/m2) were analysed. Total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose, insulin, adipochine and inflammatory citochines were determined. Waist and hip circumferences and sagittal abdominal diameter (SAD) were measured and abdominal BIA with ViScan was performed; peri-renal, para-renal, peri-hepatic, pre-peritoneal, and peritoneal fat thicknesses were measured by US Anthropometric indexes, ViScan and US measurements were evaluated as predictors of MS abnormalities in a partial correlation analysis adjusted for BMI. Only SAD and peritoneal US fat thickness are good predictors for the metabolic abnormalities related to MS after adjusting for BMI. The correlation among different anthropometric, abdominal BIA and ultrasonographic measurements, corrected for BMI, showed that SAD had a strong correlation with peritoneal fat thicknesses. Both SAD and US peritoneal fat thickness are good predictors of metabolic abnormalities.

Short-term effects of liraglutide on visceral fat adiposity, appetite, and food preference: a pilot study of obese Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes

BackgroundTo examine the effects of liraglutide, a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) analogue, on visceral fat adiposity, appetite, food preference, and biomarkers of cardiovascular system in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes.MethodsThe study subjects were 20 inpatients with type 2 diabetes treated with liraglutide [age; 61.2 ± 14.0 years, duration of diabetes; 16.9 ± 6.6 years, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c); 9.1 ± 1.2%, body mass index (BMI); 28.3 ± 5.2 kg/m2, mean ± SD]. After improvement in glycemic control by insulin or oral glucose-lowering agents, patients were switched to liraglutide. We assessed the estimated visceral fat area (eVFA) by abdominal bioelectrical impedance analysis, glycemic control by the 75-g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and eating behavior by the Japan Society for the Study of Obesity questionnaire.ResultsTreatment with liraglutide (dose range: 0.3 to 0.9 mg/day) for 20.0 ± 6.4 days significantly reduced waist circumference, waist/hip ratio, eVFA. It also significantly improved the scores of eating behavior, food preference and the urge for fat intake and tended to reduce scores for sense of hunger. Liraglutide increased serum C-peptide immunoreactivity and disposition index.ConclusionsShort-term treatment with liraglutide improved visceral fat adiposity, appetite, food preference and the urge for fat intake in obese Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes.

Can abdominal bioelectrical impedance refine the determination of visceral fat from waist circumference?

Ryo et al (2005 Diabetes Care 28 451–3) reported a new method for measuring the visceral fat area (VFA) by combining abdominal bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) with measurement of waist circumference (WC), but very few methodological details were provided. Furthermore, the study did not test the use of WC alone as an indicator of VFA even though others had previously reported a strong correlation. We sought to determine the optimal measurement technique and analysis for measuring VFA by abdominal BIA and WC. 18 volunteers (age 23–64 years) underwent measurement of WC, abdominal impedance (Bodystat 500 four-electrode system) and a single cross-sectional CT scan at the umbilicus. VFA derived using WC3 and measurements of abdominal impedance from electrode pairs sited at the flank predicted the value of VFA measured by CT with correlation r = 0.904 (p < 0.0001); the optimizing power of WC was 3.3 (r = 0.905). However, the use of WC1.9 alone, without involving BIA at all, provided a similar correlation (r = 0.923). Our small preliminary study shows that abdominal BIA is potentially a practicable non-invasive technique for measurement of VFA but casts doubt on whether it adds any value to the use of WC alone. Larger studies are now required to test this finding.

Measurement of visceral fat by abdominal bioelectrical impedance analysis is beneficial in medical checkup

In addition to the waist circumference (WC) measurement, an accurate measurement of visceral fat is very important in terms of the pathology associated with the metabolic syndrome. The only method available for an accurate measurement of a visceral fat area (VFA) is abdominal computed tomography (CT). To overcome this limitation, we estimated VFA using abdominal bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) with accuracy comparable to that of abdominal CT, and investigated the relationship between VFA and risk factors of the metabolic syndrome. Because abdominal BIA detects excess visceral fat accumulation that cannot be detected by a measurement of WC, the characteristics of the subjects who were identified as having excessive visceral fat using BIA, but not WC, were examined. Abdominal BIA was used to estimate VFA in male subjects (n = 1803) (age: 48 ± 10 years, body mass index: 23.9 ± 3.0 kg/m(2)) who provided informed consent. The prevalence of the metabolic syndrome diagnosed based on the diagnostic criteria established by the Japanese Society of Internal Medicine was 18%. Among the risk factors of the metabolic syndrome, WC was significantly correlated with triglycerides (TG), but estimated VFA was correlated with blood pressure and HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C), in addition to TG. Abdominal BIA detected excess visceral fat accumulation in 3% of subjects for whom WC had detected none. Elevated blood pressure, TG, and fasting plasma glucose and decreased HDL-C were also noted in these subjects, and the values of these risk factors were comparable to those of subjects in whom visceral fat accumulation was detected using WC. Abdominal BIA is a simple and safe method that is superior to WC for the detection of excessive visceral fat accumulation. Therefore, abdominal BIA will likely be used clinically to detect excessive accumulation of visceral fat, which is an important predictor of the metabolic syndrome.

Reduction of Visceral Fat Is Associated With Decrease in the Number of Metabolic Risk Factors in Japanese Men

Visceral fat accumulation is associated with the development of metabolic disorders such as glucose intolerance, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases (1–8). However, the relationship between reduction of visceral fat and decrease in the number of metabolic risk factors has not been defined in the general population. Recently, we developed a new technique, the abdominal bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), to evaluate visceral fat area (VFA) (9). The aim of this study was to investigate whether reduction of visceral fat, estimated by the BIA, is associated with a decrease in the number of metabolic risk factors. The study group comprised 2,336 Japanese men (aged mean ± SD 48.0 ± 10.5 years, BMI 24.2 ± 2.9 kg/m2), who were employees of Amagasaki City Office, an urban area, and had undergone annual health check-ups in both 2004 and 2005. After the health check-up, the medical staff provided risk factor–oriented, rather than obesity-oriented, health promotion programs to select individuals with visceral fat accumulation and multiple risk factors, with the aim of encouraging a scientific understanding of the spectrum of metabolic syndrome from visceral fat accumulation to atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases. In this study, we used VFA estimated by the BIA, which was shown to correlate significantly with VFA determined by computed tomography (9). The measurement of VFA by BIA complied with the Guidelines of the Ethical Committees of …

A New Simple Method for the Measurement of Visceral Fat Accumulation by Bioelectrical Impedance

We and others (1–9) have shown that the accumulation of visceral fat is associated with multiple risk factor syndrome more closely than with the BMI itself or the amount of subcutaneous fat. In these studies, computed tomography (CT) scan at the umbilical level (10) was used for the assessment of visceral fat area (VFA). However, the method is not cost-effective and/or radiation exposure is problematic; thus, it is often unsuitable for screening large groups of individuals. There is a need for a simple and noninvasive method to assess visceral fat accumulation. The bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) method, which is based on the electric resistance difference between the fat and components of other organs (11–14), should meet this need. Conventional BIA approaches have estimated total fat content but not regional fat distribution (11–13). Recently, attempts to assess the amount of abdominal subcutaneous fat by the local BIA method were reported (14). Here, we developed a new technique to specifically evaluate VFA by using the abdominal BIA method. The study subjects were 59 healthy volunteers and 32 inpatients with suspected cardiovascular disease at Osaka University Hospital. Waist circumference (Wc) at the umbilical level was measured in the late exhalation phase while standing. All subjects underwent the abdominal BIA method to estimate VFA. The voltage occurring at the flank to the flow of current between the umbilicus and the back correlates significantly …