Ratio Of Visceral Fat Area Research Articles

Effect of visceral fat accumulation on uric acid metabolism in male obese subjects: Visceral fat obesity is linked more closely to overproduction of uric acid than subcutaneous fat obesity

We investigated the relationship between uric acid (UA) metabolism and fat distribution in 36 obese men with a mean ± SD age of 38 ± 16 years and mean body-mass index (BMI) of 34 ± 4 kg/m 2. Subjects were divided into two groups: subcutaneous fat obesity (SFO) and visceral fat obesity (VFO), according to their abdominal fat distribtion based on the results of computed tomography (CT). SFO was defined as having a ratio of visceral fat area (VFA) to subcutaneous fat area ( V S ) of less than 0.4, and VFO was defined as having a V S ratio ≥ 0.4. The levels of serum total cholesterol (T-Chol), triglyceride (TG), and fasting plasma glucose (FPG), and the diastolic blood pressure (dBP) were significantly higher in the VFO group than in the SFO group. Serum UA levels were much higher in both the SFO and VFO groups than in the non-obese control group (492 ± 107 and 474 ± 90 v 309 ± 48 μmol/L, respectively). The 24-hour urinary urate excretion (u-UA24h) and the UA clearance (Cua) to creatinine clearance (Ccr) ratio were significantly higher in the VFO group than in the SFO group (3.75 ± 1.43 v 2.69 ± 1.12 mmol/d, P < .05; and 5.9% ± 2.0% v 3.6% ± 1.7%, P < .001, respectively). The frequency of hyperuricemia was markedly higher in both the SFO and VFO groups compared with the control group (71% and 73% v 0%, respectively). Although the high serum UA level seemed to be related to low u-UA24h in 80% of SFO subjects with hyperuricemia, this was the case in only 10% of VFO subjects. While 44% of VFO subjects with hyperuricemia were designed as an overproduction type. These results suggest that the mechanism of hyperuricemia in obesity may be affected by the difference in body fat distribution and that the assessment of body fat distribution and types of hyperuricemia is crucial for the treatment of obese patients with hyperuricemia.

The effects of aerobic exercise and diet therapy on body composition, serum lipids and OGTT in obese patients

The effects of diet therapy with aerobic exercise on body composition, serum lipids and OGTT were examined in obese patients.The subjects were divided into two groups based on the mean value of the ratio of visceral fat area to subcutaneous fat area (V/S ratio), consisting of the upper mean value group (High group) and the lower mean value group (Low group). All subjects underwent both diet therapy and exercise therapy. The diet therapy was carried out with a calorie intake consisting of 1000-1400kcal/day. The exercise therapy was carded out using physical training with a bicycle ergometer while the intensity level was set at the blood lactate threshold (LT) with an energy comsumption of 300kcal/day. The above regimen was carried out for 4 weeks. Following the therapy period, the body weight decreased significantly in both groups. The body fat (%FAT) decreased significantly in the High group, while it did not significantly change in the Low group. The lean body mass (LBM) did not substantially change in either group. Although the V/S ratio did not substantially change in either group, the visceral fat area did decrease significantly in the High group but not in the Low group, while the subcutaneous fat area decreased significantly in the Low group but not in the high group. Both the LDL-C, TG, and TC/HDL-C ratio decreased significantly in both groups. In addition, the OGTT as well as the area under the curve of glucose during OGTT decreased significantly in both groups, but, the area under the curve of insulin during OGTT decreased only in the High group. These results suggested that a combined nutrition and exercise regimen may therefore be important in reducing the visceral fat area as well as for improving the lipoprotein and the OGTT profiles in obese patients with a high V/S ratio.