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Asian women have greater abdominal and visceral adiposity than Caucasian women with similar body mass index.

ABSTRACT: In the Multiethnic Cohort Study, Japanese Americans (JA) have lower mean body mass index (BMI) compared with Caucasians, but show a higher waist-to-hip ratio at similar BMI values and a greater risk of diabetes and obesity-associated cancers.We investigated the abdominal, visceral and hepatic fat distribution in these Asian and Caucasian Americans.A cross-sectional sample of 60 female cohort participants (30 JA and 30 Caucasians), of ages 60-65 years and BMIs 18.5-40 kg m(-2), underwent anthropometric measurements and a whole-body dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scan: a subset of 48 women also had abdominal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).By design, JA women had similar BMIs (mean 26.5 kg m(-2)) to Caucasian women (27.1 kg m(-2)). JA women were found to have a significantly smaller hip circumference (96.9 vs 103.6 cm; P=0.007) but not a significantly lower DXA total fat mass (25.5 vs 28.8 kg; P=0.16). After adjusting for age and DXA total fat mass, JA women had a greater waist-to-hip ratio (0.97 vs 0.89; P<0.0001), DXA trunk fat (15.4 vs 13.9 kg; P=0.0004) and MRI % abdominal visceral fat (23.9 vs 18.5%; P=0.01) and a lower DXA leg fat mass (8.2 vs 10.0 kg; P=<.0001). Their MRI % subcutaneous fat (33.4 vs 30.2%; P=0.21) and % liver fat (5.8 vs 3.8%; P=0.06) did not significantly differ from that of Caucasian women.Our findings build on limited past evidence, suggesting that Asian women carry greater abdominal and visceral fat when compared with Caucasian women with similar overall adiposity. This may contribute to their elevated metabolic risk for obesity-related diseases.

SUBMITTER: Lim U

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3302135 | biostudies-other | 2011 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other

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Project description:BackgroundCharacterization of abdominal and intra-abdominal fat requires imaging, and thus is not feasible in large epidemiologic studies.ObjectiveWe investigated whether biomarkers may complement anthropometry (body mass index [BMI], waist circumference [WC], and waist-hip ratio [WHR]) in predicting the size of the body fat compartments by analyzing blood biomarkers, including adipocytokines, insulin resistance markers, sex steroid hormones, lipids, liver enzymes and gastro-neuropeptides.MethodsFasting levels of 58 blood markers were analyzed in 60 healthy, Caucasian or Japanese American postmenopausal women who underwent anthropometric measurements, dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), and abdominal magnetic resonance imaging. Total, abdominal, visceral and hepatic adiposity were predicted based on anthropometry and the biomarkers using Random Forest models.ResultsTotal body fat was well predicted by anthropometry alone (R(2) = 0.85), by the 5 best predictors from the biomarker model alone (leptin, leptin-adiponectin ratio [LAR], free estradiol, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 [PAI1], alanine transaminase [ALT]; R(2) = 0.69), or by combining these 5 biomarkers with anthropometry (R(2) = 0.91). Abdominal adiposity (DXA trunk-to-periphery fat ratio) was better predicted by combining the two types of predictors (R(2) = 0.58) than by anthropometry alone (R(2) = 0.53) or the 5 best biomarkers alone (25(OH)-vitamin D(3), insulin-like growth factor binding protein-1 [IGFBP1], uric acid, soluble leptin receptor [sLEPR], Coenzyme Q10; R(2) = 0.35). Similarly, visceral fat was slightly better predicted by combining the predictors (R(2) = 0.68) than by anthropometry alone (R(2) = 0.65) or the 5 best biomarker predictors alone (leptin, C-reactive protein [CRP], LAR, lycopene, vitamin D(3); R(2) = 0.58). Percent liver fat was predicted better by the 5 best biomarker predictors (insulin, sex hormone binding globulin [SHBG], LAR, alpha-tocopherol, PAI1; R(2) = 0.42) or by combining the predictors (R(2) = 0.44) than by anthropometry alone (R(2) = 0.29).ConclusionThe predictive ability of anthropometry for body fat distribution may be enhanced by measuring a small number of biomarkers. Studies to replicate these data in men and other ethnic groups are warranted.

Project description:Background and aimsObesity, especially abdominal obesity, has been considered a risk factor for diabetic complications. Many abdominal obesity indices have been established, including neck circumference (NC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), lipid accumulation product (LAP), visceral adiposity index (VAI) and the Chinese visceral adiposity index (CVAI). However, studies investigating the associations between these indices and diabetic complications are limited. The objective of this study was to investigate the associations of the abdominal obesity indices with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease (CVD), diabetic kidney disease (DKD) and diabetic retinopathy (DR).MethodsA total of 4658 diabetic participants were enrolled from seven communities in Shanghai, China, in 2018. Participants completed questionnaires and underwent blood pressure, glucose, lipid profile, and urine albumin/creatinine ratio measurements; fundus photographs; and anthropometric parameters, including height, weight, waist circumference (WC), NC and hip circumference (HC).ResultsIn men, a one standard deviation (SD) increase in CVAI level was significantly associated with a greater prevalence of CVD (OR 1.35; 95% CI 1.13, 1.62) and DKD (OR 1.38; 95% CI 1.12, 1.70) (both P < 0.05). In women, a one SD increase in CVAI level was significantly associated with a greater prevalence of CVD (OR 1.32; 95% CI 1.04, 1.69) and DKD (OR 2.50; 95% CI 1.81, 3.47) (both P < 0.05). A one SD increase in NC was significantly associated with a greater prevalence of CCA plaque in both men (OR 1.26; 95% CI 1.10, 1.44) and women (OR 1.20; 95% CI 1.07, 1.35). These associations were all adjusted for potential confounding factors.ConclusionsCVAI was most strongly associated with the prevalence of CVD and DKD among the abdominal obesity indices, and NC was unique associated with the prevalence of CCA plaque in Chinese adults with diabetes. Trial registration ChiCTR1800017573, www.chictr.org.cn . Registered 04 August 2018.

Project description:BackgroundAsian Chinese are more susceptible to deposition of visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and type 2 diabetes (T2D) development than European Caucasians when matched for gender, age and body mass index (BMI). Our aims were: (i) characterise the ethnicity-specific metabolomic signature of visceral adiposity measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and fasting plasma glucose (FPG), and (ii) identify individuals susceptible to worse metabolic health outcomes.MethodsFasting plasma samples from normoglycaemic (n = 274) and prediabetic (n = 83) participants were analysed with liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry using untargeted metabolomics. Multiple linear regression adjusting for age, gender and BMI was performed to identify metabolites associated with FPG and VAT calculated as percentage of total body fat (%VATTBF) in each ethnic group. Metabolic risk groups in each ethnicity were stratified based on the joint metabolomic signature for FPG and %VATTBF and clinically characterised using partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) and t-tests.ResultsFPG was correlated with 40 and 110 metabolites in Caucasians and Chinese respectively, with diglyceride DG(38:5) (adjusted β = 0.29, p = 3.00E-05) in Caucasians and triglyceride TG(54:4) (adjusted β = 0.28, p = 2.02E-07) in Chinese being the most significantly correlated metabolite based on the p-value. %VATTBF was correlated with 85 and 119 metabolites in Caucasians and Chinese respectively, with TG(56:2) (adjusted β = 0.3, p = 8.25E-09) in Caucasians and TG(58:3) (adjusted β = 0.25, p = 2.34E-08) in Chinese being the most significantly correlated. 24 metabolites associated with FPG were common to both ethnicities including glycerolipid species. 67 metabolites associated with %VATTBF were common to both ethnicities including positive correlations with dihydroceramide, sphingomyelin, glycerolipid, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethnolamine, and inverse correlations with ether-linked phosphatidylcholine. Participant re-stratification found greater total and central adiposity, worse clinical lipid profiles, higher serum glucoregulatory peptides and liver enzymes in normal fasting glucose (NFG) individuals with a prediabetic metabolomic profile than NFG individuals with a normoglycaemic metabolomic profile in both ethnicities.ConclusionsUntargeted metabolomics identified common and disparate metabolites associated with FPG and %VATTBF, with an ethnic-dimorphic signature for these metabolic traits. These signatures could improve risk stratification and identify NFG individuals with an adverse cardiometabolic and T2D risk profile.

Project description:ObjectivesThis study sought to evaluate differential effects of visceral fat (VF) and subcutaneous fat and their effects on metabolic syndrome (MetS) risk across body mass index (BMI) categories.BackgroundThe regional distribution of adipose tissue is an emerging risk factor for cardiometabolic disease, although serial changes in fat distribution have not been extensively investigated. VF and its alterations over time may be a better marker for risk than BMI in normal weight and overweight or obese individuals.MethodsWe studied 1,511 individuals in the MESA (Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis) with adiposity assessment by computed tomography (CT). A total of 253 participants without MetS at initial scan underwent repeat CT (median interval 3.3 years). We used discrete Cox regression with net reclassification to investigate whether baseline and changes in VF area are associated with MetS.ResultsHigher VF was associated with cardiometabolic risk and coronary artery calcification, regardless of BMI. After adjustment, VF was more strongly associated with incident MetS than subcutaneous fat regardless of weight, with a 28% greater MetS hazard per 100 cm(2)/m VF area and significant net reclassification (net reclassification index: 0.44, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.29 to 0.60) over clinical risk. In individuals with serial imaging, initial VF (hazard ratio: 1.24 per 100 cm(2)/m, 95% CI: 1.08 to 1.44 per 100 cm(2)/m, p = 0.003) and change in VF (hazard ratio: 1.05 per 5% change, 95% CI: 1.01 to 1.08 per 5% change, p = 0.02) were associated with MetS after adjustment. Changes in subcutaneous fat were not associated with incident MetS after adjustment for clinical risk and VF area.ConclusionsVF is modestly associated with BMI. However, across BMI, a single measure of and longitudinal change in VF predict MetS, even accounting for weight changes. Visceral adiposity is essential to assessing cardiometabolic risk, regardless of age, race, or BMI, and may serve as a marker and target of therapy in cardiometabolic disease.

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Asian women have greater abdominal and visceral adiposity than Caucasian women with similar body mass index.

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