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Fat Distribution (fat + distribution)
Kinds of Fat Distribution Selected AbstractsChanges in serum leptin concentrations in overweight Japanese men after exerciseDIABETES OBESITY & METABOLISM, Issue 5 2004N. Miyatake Aim:, To investigate the link between serum leptin concentrations and exercise. Design:, Cross-sectional and longitudinal studies of an exercise intervention. Subjects:, 110 Japanese overweight men aged 32,59 years were recruited. At baseline, the average body mass index (BMI) was 28.5 ± 2.5 kg/m2. From this group, we used data of 36 overweight men (BMI, 28.9 ± 2.3) for a 1-year exercise programme. Measurements:, Leptin was measured at baseline and after 1 year. Fat distribution was evaluated by visceral fat (V) and subcutaneous fat (S) areas measured with computed tomography (CT) scanning at umbilical levels. Anthropometric parameters, aerobic exercise level, muscle strength and flexibility were also investigated at baseline and after 1 year. Results:, In the first analysis, using cross-sectional data, leptin was significantly correlated with total body fat (r = 0.760, p < 0.01), V (r = 0.383, p < 0.01) and S (r = 0.617, p < 0.01) areas. In the second analysis, using longitudinal data, leptin was significantly reduced after 1 year (pre 6.7 ± 4.0 ng/ml vs. post 5.1 ± 3.1 ng/ml, p < 0.01). Results showed that steps per day were increased, and aerobic exercise level, weight-bearing index (WBI) and insulin resistance were significantly improved. Although, there was a positive correlation between , leptin(positive changes in leptin after 1 year) and anthropometric measurements such as , body weight, , BMI and , body fat, leptin/body weight, leptin/BMI and leptin/body fat ratios were significantly reduced during exercise intervention. Conclusion:, The present study indicated exercise significantly lowers serum leptin concentrations, and thus it may improve the leptin resistance observed in overweight Japanese men. [source] Fat tissue, aging, and cellular senescenceAGING CELL, Issue 5 2010Tamara Tchkonia Summary Fat tissue, frequently the largest organ in humans, is at the nexus of mechanisms involved in longevity and age-related metabolic dysfunction. Fat distribution and function change dramatically throughout life. Obesity is associated with accelerated onset of diseases common in old age, while fat ablation and certain mutations affecting fat increase life span. Fat cells turn over throughout the life span. Fat cell progenitors, preadipocytes, are abundant, closely related to macrophages, and dysdifferentiate in old age, switching into a pro-inflammatory, tissue-remodeling, senescent-like state. Other mesenchymal progenitors also can acquire a pro-inflammatory, adipocyte-like phenotype with aging. We propose a hypothetical model in which cellular stress and preadipocyte overutilization with aging induce cellular senescence, leading to impaired adipogenesis, failure to sequester lipotoxic fatty acids, inflammatory cytokine and chemokine generation, and innate and adaptive immune response activation. These pro-inflammatory processes may amplify each other and have systemic consequences. This model is consistent with recent concepts about cellular senescence as a stress-responsive, adaptive phenotype that develops through multiple stages, including major metabolic and secretory readjustments, which can spread from cell to cell and can occur at any point during life. Senescence could be an alternative cell fate that develops in response to injury or metabolic dysfunction and might occur in nondividing as well as dividing cells. Consistent with this, a senescent-like state can develop in preadipocytes and fat cells from young obese individuals. Senescent, pro-inflammatory cells in fat could have profound clinical consequences because of the large size of the fat organ and its central metabolic role. [source] Fat distribution in venezuelan children and adolescents estimated by the conicity index and waist/hip ratioAMERICAN JOURNAL OF HUMAN BIOLOGY, Issue 1 2002Betty Pérez This study compares the conicity index (C) with the waist/hip ratio (WHR) in a cross-sectional sample of Venezuelan children (n = 784 boys and n = 735 girls), 3 to 16 years of age. Distributions of C and WHR were compared in Box-plot diagrams. Regression analysis was used to examine the relationship between indices by age and sex. Conicity captured more outliers in the distribution than WHR and explained 33% to 62% of the variability in WHR in three age groups. The influence was stronger in females during adolescence (R2 = 0.60, P < 0.05). According to the principle of C, most children presented a bi-conical shape, which was more pronounced in boys than girls and which was indicative of a more central distribution of adiposity. These results are related, in part, to age and sex differences in body composition and to the earlier onset of the adolescent growth spurt in Venezuelan children. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 14:15,20, 2002. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] The different mechanisms of insulin sensitizers to prevent type 2 diabetes in OLETF ratsDIABETES/METABOLISM: RESEARCH AND REVIEWS, Issue 5 2007Sung Hee Choi Abstract Objective To investigate the effects of pioglitazone and metformin treatment during pre-diabetic period for the prevention of diabetes in a rat model. Methods OLETF rats aged 18-weeks, were treated with pioglitazone (10 mg/kg/day) and metformin (300 mg/kg/day) for 10 weeks from their pre-diabetic period. We measured weight, lipid profiles, fat distribution, glucose tolerance, and pancreatic insulin content. Results Prominent weight gain (mostly subcutaneous fat area) was observed in the pioglitazone-treated OLETF (O-P) rats versus significant weight loss was observed in the metformin-treated OLETF (O-M) rats. Pioglitazone reversed the serum triglyceride (TG) and FFAs levels to normal (TG 0.46 ± 0.04 vs 0.88 ± 0.05 mmol/l in LETO). At the age of 28 weeks, the O-P rats showed completely normal glucose tolerance, and the glucose disposal rate (GDR) was markedly improved (25.6 ± 0.4 vs 20.6 ± 0.5 mg/min/kg in O-C, p < 0.05). The O-M rats also showed an improved fasting glucose and GDR level, but not as much as those with O-P rats. The pancreas insulin contents were much improved in the O-P rats (22.9 ± 1.2 vs 18.8 ± 1.3 nmol/pancreas in O-M rats, p < 0.05) with histological improvement. Conclusion The pre-diabetic treatment with pioglitazone, despite significant weight gain, completely prevents to develop diabetes and enhances beta cell function with preservation of islet cell changes. Metformin treatment was also effective, but mainly by ameliorating the insulin resistance with marked reduction in body weight. The reversal of dyslipidaemia and the fat redistribution might contribute to the greater improvement of pioglitazone treatment compared to metformin in OLETF rats. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Effect of pioglitazone on insulin sensitivity, vascular function and cardiovascular inflammatory markers in insulin-resistant non-diabetic Asian IndiansDIABETIC MEDICINE, Issue 5 2006A. Raji Abstract Aims To determine the effects of pioglitazone (30 mg once daily for 16 weeks) on insulin sensitivity, insulin-mediated vasodilation, vascular inflammatory markers, fat distribution and lipids in Asian Indians and Caucasians of European ancestry. Methods Cross-sectional study. Eighteen non-diabetic Asian Indians and 17 Caucasians of comparable age (34 ± 3 vs. 36 ± 3 years) and body mass index (26.0 ± 1.2 vs. 24.7 ± 1.0 kg/m2) had measurements of insulin sensitivity (M, insulin clamp at 6 pmol/kg per min), abdominal fat (computed tomographic scan at L4-L5), endothelial-dependent (reactive hyperaemia, RH) and -independent (0.4 mg sublingual nitroglycerin, TNG) vasodilation using brachial artery ultrasound before and after the 2-h clamp at baseline and after pioglitazone therapy. Results Asian Indians were insulin resistant compared with Causasians during the baseline clamp (M = 25.6 ± 1.7 vs. 41.1 ± 2.2 µmol/kg per min, P < 0.0001) and improved significantly after pioglitazone (to 33.9 ± 1.7 µmol/kg per min, P < 0.001). Vasodilatory responses to RH and TNG were similar in Asian Indians and Caucasians at baseline and did not change. Insulin-mediated vasodilation improved after pioglitazone in Asian Indians, but not in Caucasians, and correlated with the change in insulin sensitivity (r = 0.52, P = 0.03). C-reactive protein (CRP) was higher in Asian Indians vs. Caucasians (1.6 ± 0.4 vs. 0.9 ± 0.2 mg/l) and was negatively correlated with insulin sensitivity (r = ,0.53, P = 0.02). In the Asian Indian group, CRP and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 decreased and adiponectin increased after pioglitazone, but there were no significant changes in total or visceral fat. Conclusions These results demonstrate that insulin-resistant Asian Indians respond favourably to an insulin sensitizer with improvements in insulin sensitivity, cardiovascular and inflammatory risk markers, and vascular responses to insulin. These agents may have a role in decreasing the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease in this high-risk population. [source] Predictors of insulin sensitivity in Type 2 diabetes mellitusDIABETIC MEDICINE, Issue 7 2002E. Bonora Abstract Aims To identify the independent predictors of insulin sensitivity in Type 2 diabetes, and to establish whether isolated Type 2 diabetes (i.e. diabetes without overweight, dyslipidaemia and hypertension) is a condition of insulin resistance. Methods We examined 45 patients with non-insulin-treated Type 2 diabetes undergoing a 4-h euglycaemic hyperinsulinaemic clamp (20 mU/m2 per min) combined with 3H-3-D-glucose and 14C-U-glucose infusions and indirect calorimetry. We also examined 1366 patients with non-insulin-treated Type 2 diabetes randomly selected among those attending the Diabetes Clinic and in whom insulin resistance was estimated by Homeostasis Model Assessment (HOMA-IR). Results In the 45 patients undergoing glucose clamp studies, insulin-mediated total glucose disposal (TGD) was independently and negatively associated with systolic blood pressure (standardized , coefficient = ,0.407, P = 0.003), plasma triglycerides (,= ,0.355, P = 0.007), and HbA1c (,= ,0.350, P = 0.008). The overall variability of TGD explained by these variables was 53%. Overweight diabetic subjects with central fat distribution, hypertension, hypertriglyceridaemia and poor glycometabolic control had insulin-mediated TGD values markedly lower than their lean counterparts without hypertension, with normal triglycerides, and with good glycometabolic control (16 ± 5 vs. 31 ± 10 µmol/min per kg lean body mass, P < 0.01). Nevertheless, the latter still were markedly insulin-resistant when compared with sex- and age-matched non-diabetic control subjects (31 ± 10 vs. 54 ± 13 µmol/min per kg lean body mass, P < 0.01). In the 1366 Type 2 diabetic patients of the epidemiological study, HOMA-IR value was independently associated with HbA1c (, = 0.283, P < 0.0001), plasma triglycerides (, = 0.246, P < 0.0001), body mass index (, = 0.139, P < 0.001), waist girth (, = 0.124, P < 0.001) and hypertension (, = 0.066, P = 0.006). Conclusion Overweight, central fat distribution, dyslipidaemia, hypertension and poor glycometabolic control are strong independent predictors of insulin resistance in Type 2 diabetes. However, reduced insulin sensitivity can be found even when Type 2 diabetes is isolated and well controlled. Diabet. Med. 19, 535,542 (2002) [source] Lifestyle intervention in individuals with normal versus impaired glucose toleranceEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CLINICAL INVESTIGATION, Issue 7 2007S. Schäfer Abstract Background, Lifestyle intervention is effective in the prevention of type 2 diabetes in individuals with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT). It is currently unknown whether it has beneficial effects on metabolism to a similar extent, in individuals with normal glucose tolerance (NGT) compared to individuals with IGT. Materials and methods, Data from 181 subjects (133 with NGT and at risk for type 2 diabetes and 48 with IGT) who participated in the Tuebingen Lifestyle Intervention Program with increase in physical activity and decrease in caloric intake were included into this study. Body fat distribution was quantified by whole-body magnetic resonance (MR) tomography and liver fat and intramyocellular fat by 1H-MR spectroscopy. Insulin sensitivity was estimated from an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). Results, After 9 ± 2 months of follow-up, the diagnosis of IGT was reversed in 24 out of 48 individuals. Only 14 out of 133 participants with NGT developed IGT. Body weight decreased in both groups by 3% (both P < 0·0001). Two-hour glucose concentrations during an OGTT decreased in individuals with IGT (,14%, P < 0·0001) but not with NGT (+2%, P = 0·66). Insulin sensitivity increased both in individuals with IGT (+9%, P = 0·04) and NGT (+17%, P < 0·0001). Visceral fat (,8%, P = 0·006), liver fat (,28%, P < 0·0001) and intramyocellular fat (,15%, P = 0·006) decreased in participants with IGT. In participants with NGT these changes were significant for visceral fat (,16%, P < 0·0001) and liver fat (,35%, P < 0·0001). Conclusions, Moderate weight loss under a lifestyle intervention with reduction in total, visceral and ectopic fat and increase in insulin sensitivity improves glucose tolerance in individuals with IGT but not with NGT. In individuals with NGT, the beneficial effects of a lifestyle intervention on fat distribution and insulin sensitivity possibly prevent future deterioration in glucose tolerance. [source] Different fat distribution as marker of disease in nonalcholic fatty liver disease,HEPATOLOGY, Issue 4 2007Melania Manco M.D., Ph.D. No abstract is available for this article. [source] The importance of steatosis in chronic hepatitis C infection and its management: A reviewHEPATOLOGY RESEARCH, Issue 3 2010Timothy J. S. Cross Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major cause of chronic liver disease with approximately 180 million people infected worldwide. Hepatic steatosis is a frequent histological finding in chronic hepatitis C (CHC) infection and is 2- to 3-fold more common than would be expected by chance alone. A high body mass index with excess visceral fat distribution is associated with steatosis in patients infected with HCV genotype 1 but not genotype 3, re-enforcing the concept that in patients with CHC, some have "metabolic steatosis", predominantly HCV genotype 1, and others "viral steatosis", mainly HCV genotype 3. Accumulating evidence suggests that steatosis may contribute to progression of fibrosis in CHC. Hepatic insulin resistance appears to play a role through the pro-fibrogenic effects of compensatory hyperinsulinemia. The aim of this review was to assess the effect host and viral factors play in steatosis development in patients with CHC infection and its possible relationship with hepatocellular carcinoma. The review examines the mechanisms by which CHC infection causes hepatic steatosis, the impact hepatic steatosis has on the natural history of the disease and finally, explores if treatments leading to a reduction in the amount of steatosis might lead to improved treatment outcomes. The basic medical science of steatosis in CHC will be discussed including proposed models of steatogenesis and the influence of viral and metabolic factors at the molecular level and how these might impact on current and future therapies. [source] Plasma lipid concentrations after 1.5 years of exposure to nevirapine or efavirenz together with stavudine and lamivudineHIV MEDICINE, Issue 6 2006F Van Leth Objectives To assess long-term changes in lipids and lipoproteins concentrations associated with exposure to non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors. Methods Long-term analysis of plasma lipid concentrations was performed in patients starting first-line antiretroviral therapy with stavudine (d4T) and lamivudine, and either nevirapine or efavirenz. Results Concentrations of total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides continued to increase, while high-density lipoprotein cholesterol showed a slight decrease compared with earlier reported increases after 48 weeks. Conclusions Changes in body fat distribution expected to occur with continued exposure to d4T could offer a potential explanation for these findings. [source] The prevalence of lipodystrophy in an ambulant HIV-infected population: it all depends on the definitionHIV MEDICINE, Issue 3 2001VM Carter Objectives This study's objective was to determine the prevalence of body shape changes and metabolic abnormalities in an ambulant population with HIV infection. Three different definitions of lipodystrophy were used to assess these changes. Patients' anthropometric measures and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scans were compared in order to estimate fat distribution in this population. We sought to evaluate potential predictors for lipodystrophy according to each of the three definitions. Methods We performed a cross-sectional study in the outpatient clinic of a tertiary referral hospital in Melbourne, Australia. We enrolled a total of 167 HIV-infected ambulatory patients over 3 months in mid-1998. Data on 159 males, 149 of whom were receiving triple combination antiretroviral therapy, were evaluated. Anthropometric measures, clinical examination, self-report of body shape changes, biochemical measures and DEXA scan were used to assess lipodystrophy and risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Patients described body shape changes in the face, trunk, arms and legs. Laboratory parameters measured included fasting triglyceride (TG), cholesterol, high-density lipoproteins (HDL), glucose, insulin, CD4 cell count and plasma HIV RNA. Current and past antiretroviral therapies were ascertained. Results According to one proposed Australian national definition of lipodystrophy (LDNC), the prevalence of lipodystrophy in this population was 65%. This definition included an objective assessment with major and minor criteria. Patient-defined lipodystrophy (LDP), which involved a subjective assessment of thinning arms and legs and central adiposity, occurred in 19%. Patient-defined lipoatrophy (LAP), which involved a subjective assessment of thinning arms and legs without central adiposity, occurred in 21.3%. No change in body habitus was noted by 37% of the cohort. Hypercholesterolaemia was recorded in 44%, hypertriglyceridaemia in 52% and elevated insulin levels in 23%. Anthropometry was predictive of the per cent total body fat recorded by DEXA scan, but produced consistently lower values. In multivariate analysis, LDP and LAP were significantly associated with stavudine (d4T) use, while LAP was also associated with zidovudine (ZDV) treatment. There were no treatment associations with LDNC. Protease inhibitor (PI) exposure was associated with metabolic changes but not patient perceived body shape changes, while d4T and ZDV exposure was associated with increased triglycerides and reduced peripheral fat stores. Conclusions The prevalence of body shape changes in a single population varied depending on the definition applied. The LDNC definition overestimated body shape abnormalities in comparison with patient perception. LAP was associated with significantly lower fat stores measured by anthropometry and DEXA scan than those identified under the LDNC definition. In contrast to LDNC, LAP was associated with d4T exposure, nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) and ZDV duration of use, but not PI use. Until a consensus definition for lipodystrophy is developed, including agreement on objective measurement and thresholds for abnormality, careful description of the individual components of the syndrome is required to enable cohort comparisons so that predictors of the syndrome can be assessed more accurately and outcome studies made feasible. [source] Respiratory complications of obesityINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PRACTICE, Issue 6 2004A.S. Jubber Summary Obesity is known to be a major risk factor of a whole range of cardiovascular, metabolic and respiratory disorders. It has been recognised that the pattern of regional fat distribution plays an important role in the pre-disposition of obese subjects to certain obesity-related complications. Derangement of parameters of lung function is determined to a large extent by the quantity and distribution of excess body fat with its potential to interfere with the mechanics of pulmonary physiology. Clinical, laboratory and epidemiological observations have established links between obesity and several breathing problems including obstructive sleep apnoea, obesity hypoventilation syndrome and asthma. However, in many respects, the pathophysiology of these links is not fully explored. In this article, the impact of obesity on pulmonary physiology and its association with the above-mentioned clinical conditions is discussed. [source] The Cross-Sectional Relationship Between Body Mass Index, Waist,Hip Ratio, and Cognitive Performance in Postmenopausal Women Enrolled in the Women's Health InitiativeJOURNAL OF AMERICAN GERIATRICS SOCIETY, Issue 8 2010Diana R. Kerwin MD OBJECTIVES: To determine whether body mass index (BMI) is independently associated with cognitive function in postmenopausal women and the relationship between body fat distribution as estimated by waist-hip ratio (WHR). DESIGN: Cross-sectional data analysis. SETTING: Baseline data from the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) hormone trials. PARTICIPANTS: Eight thousand seven hundred forty-five postmenopausal women aged 65 to 79 free of clinical evidence of dementia who completed the baseline evaluation in the WHI hormone trials. MEASUREMENTS: Participants completed a Modified Mini-Mental State Examination (3MSE), health and lifestyle questionnaires, and standardized measurements of height, weight, body circumference, and blood pressure. Statistical analysis was performed of associations between 3MSE score, BMI, and WHR after controlling for known confounders. RESULTS: With the exception of smoking and exercise, vascular disease risk factors, including hypertension, waist measurement, heart disease, and diabetes mellitus, were significantly associated with 3MSE score and were included as covariables in subsequent analyses. BMI was inversely related to 3MSE score; for every 1-unit increase in BMI, 3MSE score decreased 0.988 points (P<.001) after adjusting for age, education, and vascular disease risk factors. BMI had the most pronounced association with poorer cognitive functioning scores in women with smaller waist measurements. In women with the highest WHR, cognitive scores increased with BMI. CONCLUSION: Higher BMI was associated with poorer cognitive function in women with smaller WHR. Higher WHR, estimating central fat mass, was associated with higher cognitive function in this cross-sectional study. Further research is needed to clarify the mechanism for this association. [source] Visceral adipose tissue area is an independent risk factor for hepatic steatosisJOURNAL OF GASTROENTEROLOGY AND HEPATOLOGY, Issue 6 2008Bum J Park Abstract Background and Aim:, Recent data indicate that hepatic steatosis is associated with insulin resistance, dyslipidemia and obesity (especially central body fat distribution). There have been few studies on the correlation between biopsy-proven hepatic steatosis and the above factors in a disease-free population. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the relation between hepatic steatosis assessed by biopsy and clinical characteristics including regional fat distribution measured by computed tomography (CT) in living liver donors. Methods:, Laboratory data, liver/spleen Hounsfield ratio (L/S ratio), regional fat distribution by CT and liver status by biopsy were evaluated retrospectively in a total of 177 living liver donors without a history of alcohol intake. Results:, The unpaired t -test showed that age, triglycerides (TG), high density lipoprotein, total cholesterol, alanine aminotransferase, body mass index, L/S ratio, visceral adipose tissue area (VAT) and subcutaneous adipose tissue area (SAT) were associated with hepatic steatosis. In the multiple logistic regression analysis, VAT (odds ratio 1.031, 95% CI 1.013,1.048, P < 0.01) and TG (odds ratio 1.012, 95% CI 1.004,1.020, P < 0.01) were independent risk factors of hepatic steatosis. Subgroup analysis also showed that VAT was an independent risk factor in men (odds ratio 1.022, 95% CI 1.003,1.041, P < 0.05) and women (odds ratio 1.086, 95% CI 1.010,1.168, P < 0.05). Conclusion:, Our results suggest that visceral abdominal adiposity is correlated with hepatic steatosis in healthy living liver donors. [source] Behavioural phenotype in Börjeson-Forssman-Lehmann syndromeJOURNAL OF INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY RESEARCH, Issue 4 2009C. F. De Winter Abstract Background Börjeson-Forssman-Lehmann syndrome (BFLs) is an X-linked inherited disorder characterised by unusual facial features, abnormal fat distribution and intellectual disability. As many genetically determined disorders are characterised not only by physical features but also by specific behaviour, we studied whether a specific behavioural phenotype exists in BFLs. Methods We studied in detail the behaviour of four molecularly proven BFLs patients, and reviewed available literature on BFLs specifically for behavioural characteristics. Results Behaviour in persons with BFLs is in general friendly, but can be challenging with externalising and thrill-seeking features. Social skills are good. However, variation among patients is wide. Three patients from a single family showed expressed hypersexual behaviour. This was not present in other patients. Conclusion In BFLs a specific behavioural phenotype exists and in behaviour general is challenging besides a friendly habit. Within single families more problematic behaviour may occur. Further behavioural and molecular analysis of a larger group of patients is warranted to determine whether a genotype-behavioural phenotype correlation exists. [source] Fitness, fatness and activity as predictors of bone mineral density in older personsJOURNAL OF INTERNAL MEDICINE, Issue 5 2002K. J. Stewart Abstract. Stewart KJ, DeRegis JR, Turner KL, Bacher AC, Sung J, Hees PS, Tayback M, Ouyang P (Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA). Fitness, fatness, and activity as predictors of bone mineral density in older persons. J Intern Med 2002; 252: 381,388. Objectives. To determine relationships of bone mineral density (BMD) with fitness, physical activity, and body composition and fat distribution. Design. Cross-sectional. Setting. General Clinical Research Center, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, Baltimore, Maryland. Subjects. Men (n = 38) and women (n = 46), aged 55,75 years with high normal blood pressure or mild hypertension but otherwise healthy. Methods. Aerobic fitness (oxygen uptake) on a treadmill, muscle strength by one-repetition maximum, activity by questionnaire, abdominal obesity by magnetic resonance imaging; anthropometrics, and body composition by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) which measured total fat and lean mass, and BMD for the total skeleton, lumbar spine (L1,L4) and total hip. Results. Aerobic fitness did not correlate with BMD. Using multivariate analysis to ascertain independent contributions to the variance in BMD, in women, with adjustment for hormone replacement therapy (HRT), total skeleton BMD was independently related to muscle strength and abdominal total fat; total hip BMD to body weight; lumbar spine BMD to abdominal total fat. HRT also influenced BMD in the lumbar spine. In men, lumbar spine BMD was independently related to abdominal total fat physical activity and total hip BMD related to lower body strength. P < 0.05 for all of these correlations. Conclusions. Abdominal obesity and muscle strength emerge as predominant correlates of BMD in older persons with stronger relationships seen in women. Body weight and HRT also explained portions of the variance in BMD in women. Whether abdominal obesity is simply a marker for general obesity or has independent protective effects on bone is yet to be determined. [source] White Adipose Tissue: Getting NervousJOURNAL OF NEUROENDOCRINOLOGY, Issue 11 2003E. Fliers Abstract Neuroendocrine research has altered the traditional perspective of white adipose tissue (WAT) as a passive store of triglycerides. In addition to fatty acids, WAT produces many hormones and can therefore be designated as a traditional endocrine gland actively participating in the integrative physiology of fuel and energy metabolism, eating behaviour and the regulation of hormone secretion and sensitivity. WAT is controlled by humoral factors, para- and intracrine factors and by neural regulation. Sympathetic nerve fibres innervate WAT and stimulate lipolysis, leading to the release of glycerol and free fatty acids. In addition, recent research in rats has clearly shown a functional parasympathetic innervation of WAT. There appears to be a distinct somatotopy within the parasympathetic nuclei: separate sets of autonomic neurones in the brain stem innervate either the visceral or the subcutaneous fat compartment. We therefore propose that the central nervous system (CNS) plays a major role in the hitherto unexplained regulation of body fat distribution. Parasympathectomy induces insulin resistance with respect to glucose and fatty acid uptake in the innervated fat depot and has selective effects on local hormone synthesis. Thus, the CNS is involved not only in the regulation of hormone production by WAT, but also in its hormone sensitivity. The developments in this research area are likely to increase our insights in the pathogenesis of metabolic disorders such as hypertriglyceridemia, diabetes mellitus type 2 and lipodystrophy syndromes. [source] Difference in non-weight-bearing effects on bone mineral density between trunk and peripheral fat mass in women with polycystic ovary syndromeJOURNAL OF OBSTETRICS AND GYNAECOLOGY RESEARCH (ELECTRONIC), Issue 2 2010Yumi Yanazume Abstract Aim:, To investigate the difference in non-weight-bearing effects on bone mineral density (BMD) between trunk and peripheral fat mass in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Methods:, Subjects were 123 amenorrheic PCOS women with right side dominance. Age, height, body weight, and body mass index were recorded. Trunk, peripheral (extremities), trunk,leg fat ratio as an index of body fat distribution, left arm (non-weight-bearing site) lean mass and BMD were measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Serum testosterone and estradiol levels were measured. Relationships of BMD with trunk, peripheral fat mass, and sex hormones levels were investigated. Results:, Trunk fat mass amount was 9.8 ± 6.7 kg and was lower than the peripheral fat mass amount (12.2 ± 4.4 kg, P < 0.01). On Pearson's correlation test, trunk fat mass and left arm lean mass were positively correlated with arm BMD (r = 0.359, P < 0.001 and r = 0.501, P < 0.0001, respectively), while peripheral fat mass and serum testosterone levels were not correlated with BMD (r = 0.083 and 0.114, respectively, NS). On multiple regression analysis, trunk fat mass was positively correlated with BMD (t -value = 3.465; P < 0.001), independent of age and height. However, this relationship disappeared after additionally adjusting for left arm lean mass. Conclusion:, Trunk fat mass, despite the smaller amount, is more associated with arm BMD than peripheral fat mass is through its non-weight-bearing effects. [source] Birthweight and stature, body mass index and fat distribution of 14-year-old Polish adolescentsJOURNAL OF PAEDIATRICS AND CHILD HEALTH, Issue 1 2002S Kozie Objectives: The relationships between intra-uterine growth retardation and stature, relative weight and fat distribution at adolescence have not been comprehensively established. The aim of this report is to assess the effect of low birthweight on stature, relative weight and fat distribution in 14-year-old boys and girls from Wroclaw, Poland. Methodology: Cross-sectional measurements of 1197 boys and 819 post-menarcheal girls aged 13.50,14.49 years were performed during medical examinations in 1997. Stature, body mass index (BMI; kg/m2), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) and waist-to-thigh ratio (WTR) were used in the present study. A cut-off value of the 10th percentile of birthweight for particular gestational weeks was used in order to define subjects born small for gestational age (SGA) or appropriate for gestational age (AGA). Two-way ANOVA was used to evaluate the effect of birthweight on anthropometric variables of 14-year-old adolescents, allowing for socioeconomic status (determined by the level of the mother's education). Results: Birthweight affected stature in boys and girls (P < 0.001), BMI in boys (P < 0.05) and WHR and WTR in girls (P < 0.001 and P < 0.05, respectively). At the age of 14 years, both SGA boys and girls were shorter than their AGA peers. The SGA boys had lower BMI, whereas SGA girls accumulated more centralized fat compared with their AGA counterparts. Conclusion: Fetal growth retardation has a long-lasting adverse effect on later physical growth. Polish SGA children do not catch up with their peers in terms of stature by adolescence. Moreover, central fat distribution, as observed among SGA girls, constitutes a significant risk for several adult degenerative diseases. [source] Hepatitis C virus directly associates with insulin resistance independent of the visceral fat area in nonobese and nondiabetic patientsJOURNAL OF VIRAL HEPATITIS, Issue 9 2007M. Yoneda Summary., Insulin resistance (IR) is known to be associated with the visceral adipose tissue area. Elucidation of the relationship between hepatitis C virus (HCV) and IR is of great clinical relevance, because IR promotes liver fibrosis. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that HCV infection by itself may promote IR. We prospectively evaluated 47 patients with chronic HCV infection who underwent liver biopsy. Patients with obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM), or a history of alcohol consumption were excluded. IR was estimated by calculation of the modified homeostasis model of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) index. Abdominal fat distribution was determined by computed tomography. Fasting blood glucose levels were within normal range in all the patients. The results of univariate analysis revealed a significant correlation between the quantity of HCV-RNA and the HOMA-IR (r = 0.368, P = 0.0291). While a significant correlation between the visceral adipose tissue area and the HOMA-IR was also observed in the 97 control, nondiabetic, non-HCV-infected patients (r = 0.398, P < 0.0001), no such significant correlation between the visceral adipose tissue area and the HOMA-IR (r = 0.124, P = 0.496) was observed in the patients with HCV infection. Multiple regression analysis with adjustment for age, gender and visceral adipose tissue area revealed a significant correlation between the HCV-RNA and the HOMA-IR (P = 0.0446). HCV is directly associated with IR in a dose-dependent manner, independent of the visceral adipose tissue area. This is the first report to demonstrate the direct involvement of HCV and IR in patients with chronic HCV infection. [source] MRI of muscular fatMAGNETIC RESONANCE IN MEDICINE, Issue 4 2002Fritz Schick Abstract An MRI technique with high selectivity and sensitivity to the signal components in the chemical shift range of methylene and methyl protons of fatty acids has been developed for noninvasive assessment of muscular fat in vivo. A spoiled gradient-echo sequence with spatial-spectral excitation by six equidistant pulses with 2°-(,9°)-17°-(,17°)-9°-(,2°) and a multi-echo train (TE = 16, 36, 56, 76, 96, and 116 ms) allowed a series of images to be recorded with a receiver bandwidth of 78 Hz per pixel. SIs from phantoms with lipid contents between 0.1% and 100% were compared to those from pure water. Thirty healthy volunteers underwent fat-selective imaging of their lower leg, and parallel localized proton spectroscopy of the tibialis anterior and the soleus muscle by a single-voxel stimulated echo acquisition mode (STEAM) technique (TR = 2 s, TE = 10 ms, TM = 15 ms). Results show a high correlation (r = 0.91) between fat imaging and the spectroscopic approach in the soleus muscle, considering the percentage total fat content of musculature. The correlation coefficient was clearly lower (r = 0.55) in the tibialis anterior muscle due to signal contaminations from adjacent subcutaneous fat in the images, inhomogeneous fat distribution, and generally lower lipid content in this muscle. Applications of the new imaging technique showed marked intra- and interindividual variability in the spatial distribution of lipids in the musculature of the lower leg. No significant correlation of the muscular fat with the thickness of the subcutaneous fat layer was found. In addition, the body mass index does not appear to determine muscular fat content, except in very obese cases. Magn Reson Med 47:720,727, 2002. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Body fat ratios in urban Chinese childrenPEDIATRICS INTERNATIONAL, Issue 2 2003Fujihiko Iwata AbstractObjective: As obesity has been increasing in China, the present study examined the body composition of children to assess their fatness. Study design: A total of 532 healthy schoolchildren who lived in central Beijing were examined. Skinfold thicknesses, hip and waist circumferences, and body fat percentage were measured, as well as height and weight. Results: The prevalence of overweight (Body Mass Index (BMI) , 95% for age and sex of Chinese children) was 27.7% in boys and 14.2% in girls (chi-squared; P = 0.0001). The percentages of body fat (BF%), waist/hip ratios and skinfold thicknesses ratios (subscapular/triceps) in overweight children were significantly higher than those in non-overweight children (Mann,Whitney U -test). The BF% of non-overweight boys was significantly higher than that of non-overweight girls. Conclusion: Urban Chinese overweight children have high BF% with adverse fat distribution. They may have high risk of atherogeniety. Boys in the non-overweight category may have higher fat accumulation than predicted by BMI. The establishment of an intervention program for childhood obesity is strongly recommended. [source] Independent changes in female body shape with parity and age: A life-history approach to female adiposityAMERICAN JOURNAL OF HUMAN BIOLOGY, Issue 4 2010Jonathan C.K. Wells Both aging and reproduction have been shown to influence female body shape in industrialized populations, involving redistribution of fat from lower to upper body regions. However, the extent to which effects of parity vary by age and the extent to which age affects shape independent of parity remain unclear. We studied shape variability in relation to age and parity in a cross-sectional survey of 4,130 white British women, using three-dimensional photonic scanning. In women ,40 years, bearing children was associated with increased abdominal and reduced thigh girths, independent of age and BMI. Very few such differences were statistically significant in women >40 years, suggesting the effects of parity on shape wash out over time. In nulliparous women, aging was associated with shape variability, independent of BMI, with a similar pattern of associations evident in women both ,40 and >40 years. Our data support previous findings of "covert maternal depletion" in relation to parity, but show that this is merely a more pronounced component of a general strategic shift of fat from lower to upper body with age. These findings are consistent with a life-history model of female energy stores being allocated to competing "reproduction" and "maintenance" depots, with the optimal trade-off strategy changing with age and with that strategic shift accelerated by bearing children. This model is relevant to the "grandmother hypothesis." The dual effects of age and parity on fat distribution substantially resolve by old age the profound sexual dimorphism in adiposity present at the start of adult life. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 2010. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Socioeconomic and lifestyle determinants of body fat distribution in young working males from Cracow, PolandAMERICAN JOURNAL OF HUMAN BIOLOGY, Issue 1 2008Agnieszka Suder The aim of the study was to determine the degree of explanation of the central adiposity variation, presented by waist circumference (WC), waist-hip ratio (WHR), and the sum of the three trunk skinfold thicknesses (subscapular, abdominal, suprailiac) (TTS) through the socioeconomic status (SES) and lifestyle. The material included cross-sectional population-based research of 259 healthy working males aged 20,30 from the city of Cracow, Poland. Objective anthropometric measurements, the results of motor fitness tests, and social and lifestyle data from a questionnaire were analyzed. The independent variables were: age, SES (the birthplace, place of residence until the age of 14, social class, educational level, and the type of work done), and lifestyle elements (smoking habits, dietary habits, family obesity resemblance, sport activity in the past, leisure time physical activity (LTPA), and the level of motor fitness). Three separate full models were created using stepwise straightforward regression with WC, WHR, and TTS as dependent variables. The highest autonomous influence on WC was ascribed to age, level of motor fitness, and family obesity resemblance. Variation in WHR was explained by age, level of motor fitness, upper-middle class, LTPA, and village as the birthplace. Level of motor fitness, place of residence until the age of 14 (city), age, smoking fewer than 20 cigarettes a day, and family obesity resemblance had greatest influence on TTS. The findings indicated the importance, besides age, of lifestyle elements connected with motor fitness and LTPA in determining body fat distribution in young working males. Am. J. Hum. Biol., 2008. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Body size and shape and glycemic control among Maya women in rural YucatánAMERICAN JOURNAL OF HUMAN BIOLOGY, Issue 6 2003Penelope A. Mclorg Studies on relationships between aspects of physique and glucose physiology generally focus on clinical glucose tolerance or on fasting glucose or insulin assays showing glycemic status at the time of testing. Little work has examined the associations between body variables and glycemic control, or average past glucose levels in regular living conditions. The aim of this research was to investigate connections between body size and shape and glycemic control. The sample consists of 60 nondiabetic Maya women, ages 40,85 years, residing in 16 rural villages around Mérida, Yucatán. Body morphology was assessed through anthropometric and derived measures of size and shape, including indicators of fat distribution and general adiposity. Glycemic control was measured through microvenous samples analyzed for glycated blood proteins HbA1c and fructosamine to demonstrate average circulating glucose under customary living conditions during the previous several months and weeks. Four-variable regression models explain 17% of the variance in HbA1c and 25% of the variance in fructosamine. Arm circumference has the largest positive effect on HbA1c, while weight has the greatest positive impact on fructosamine. The predictor with the largest negative effect on both glycated blood proteins is calf circumference. In general, variables reflecting overall adiposity and central adiposity demonstrate positive associations with HbA1c and fructosamine, whereas lean body measures exhibit negative associations. Findings support the value of glycated blood proteins and of less common anthropometric measures, such as calf circumference, in population research on morphological relations with glycemia. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 15:746,757, 2003. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Relationships between plasma leptin levels and body composition parameters measured by different methods in postmenopausal womenAMERICAN JOURNAL OF HUMAN BIOLOGY, Issue 5 2003Toivo Jürimäe The aim of this study was to determine the effects of body composition measured by different methods with different measurement errors on fasting plasma leptin level in normal body mass and obese postmenopausal women. It was hypothesized that the relationship between plasma leptin concentration and body fat is higher using more sophisticated laboratory methods (dual energy X-ray absorptiometry, DXA) in comparison with field methods (bioelectrical impedance analysis, BIA, or skinfold thickness) for body fat measurement because of the greater precision of DXA measurements. Thirty-five postmenopausal (55,83 years of age) healthy Estonian women were divided into two groups: BMI < 27kg/m2 as non obese (n = 18) and BMI> 27kg/m2 as obese (n = 17). Body composition was determined using DXA (total body, arms, legs, and trunk fat percent, fat mass, and LBM) and BIA methods. Body fat percent was significantly higher using the DXA method. Subcutaneous adipose tissue distribution was determined by measuring nine skinfold thicknesses. Body fat distribution was defined as the ratio of waist-to-hip (WHR) and waist-to-thigh (WTR) circumferences. Leptin was determined by means of radioimmunoassays. Leptin concentration was not significantly different between groups (19.0 ± 13.3 and 21.5 ± 21.5ng/ml in non obese and obese groups, respectively). Body fat percent and fat weight measured by DXA or BIA methods and all measured skinfold thickness values, except biceps and abdominal, were higher in obese women. Body height did not correlate significantly with leptin concentrations. The relationships between leptin concentration were highest with body weight (r = 0.67) and BMI (r = 0.73) values in the obese group. All measured body fat parameters using DXA or BIA methods correlated significantly with plasma leptin concentration in the obese group. LBM did not influence the leptin concentration in postmenopausal women. Stepwise multiple regression analysis indicated that the body fat percent measured using the DXA method was highly related to plasma leptin concentration in the obese group (63.2%; R2 × 100). When absolute fat mass parameters were considered, leptin concentration was related to the mass of arms fat tissue in the obese group of women (62.3%). Body fat percent measured by BIA was highly related to plasma leptin concentration in the obese group (63.3%). Only biceps skinfold thickness was related to leptin concentration (22.5% and 58.9%, in the nonobese and obese groups, respectively) from the nine measured skinfold thicknesses. WHR and WTR did not reflect leptin concentration in different groups of postmenopausal women. It was concluded that different methods of body composition estimation generate different correlations with plasma leptin concentration. Body fat percent and especially fat mass measured by DXA are the main predictors relating to plasma leptin concentration in obese, but not in nonobese, postmenopausal women. In addition, fat mass in arms measured by DXA and biceps skinfold thickness were also highly related to leptin concentration. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 15:628,636, 2003. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Association of maturation, sex, and body fat in cardiorespiratory fitnessAMERICAN JOURNAL OF HUMAN BIOLOGY, Issue 6 2002Jorge Mota The aims of this cross-sectional study were 1) to estimate changes in body composition and cardiorespiratory fitness across stages of pubertal maturation, and 2) to describe the relationship between maturity status and body fatness, regional fat distribution, and cardiorespiratory fitness. The sample consisted of 494 children (254 males, 240 females), 8,16 years of age. Height and weight were measured with standard anthropometric methods. Percentage of fat (%F) was estimated from two skinfold thicknesses and regional fat distribution was estimated by the ratio of the subscapular to the triceps skinfold (S/T ratio). Biological maturity was based on self-assessment of breast stages in females and pubic hair stages in males. A maximal multistage 20-m shuttle run was used to predict maximal aerobic capacity from maximal aerobic speed. Both VO2max and 20SRT-time were used as indicators of cardiorespiratory fitness. ANCOVA with age as the covariate was used. There were significant differences among girls across pubertal stages. Among boys, only weight and height differed significantly by stage of maturity. When adjusted for maturity status, cardiorespiratory fitness expressed either as VO2/kg body mass or 20SRT-time was inversely associated with %F in both sexes. This suggests that sexual maturity status alone accounts for a small portion of the variance in aerobic fitness. Height, %F and the S/T ratio were also significantly associated with VO2/kg body mass and 20SRT-time. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 14:707,712, 2002. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Changes in body fat distribution in relation to parity in American women: A covert form of maternal depletionAMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY, Issue 2 2006William D. Lassek Abstract Using data from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III), conducted from 1988,1994, we investigated the effect of reproduction on the distribution of body fat in well-nourished American women. While women tend to gain weight and fat with succeeding pregnancies, if age and body mass index are controlled, increasing parity is associated with a decrease in hip and thigh circumferences, suprailiac and thigh skinfolds, and body fat estimated from skinfolds, while waist circumference increases, resulting in a relative decrease in lower-body fat. The mobilization of fat stores in the lower body during late pregnancy and lactation may help to meet the special needs of the developing brain for essential fatty acids and energy during the time of peak growth. When fat is regained after the postpartum period, relatively more is stored in central vs. peripheral depots, resulting in a patterned change in body shape with parity. Am J Phys Anthropol 131:295,302, 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Influence of body fat distribution on oxygen uptake and pulmonary performance in morbidly obese females during exerciseRESPIROLOGY, Issue 1 2001Jing Li Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the effects of fat distribution on aerobic and ventilatory response to exercise testing in morbidly obese (MO) females. Methodology: The study population consisted of 164 MO females, 55% (n = 90) with upper body or abdominal adiposity (UBD), as defined by waist,hip circumference ratio (WHR) , 0.80, and 45% (n = 74) with lower body fat distribution (LBD) (WHR < 0.80). An incremental exercise testing on cycle ergometer was performed to determine the effect of exercise on oxygen consumption (V·O2), carbon dioxide production (V·CO2), minute ventilation (V·E), tidal volume ( T), respiratory rate (fb) and heart rate (HR). Results: Upper body adiposity individuals had significantly higher O2 and V·CO2 than LBD subjects (P < 0.05) from 0 watt (W) of pedalling up to their anaerobic threshold (AT) and maximal exercise. E was significantly higher in UBD subjects compared with LBD subjects, from 20 W during exercise up to AT and peak work levels (P < 0.05). Upper body adiposity group also had a significantly higher fb than the LBD group at rest, after each workload and at AT and peak exercise work rates (P < 0.05). T was lower in UBD subjects at free pedalling and up to AT and peak workload with significant difference at 60 and 80 W (P < 0.05). The anaerobic threshold, expressed as work rate, was significantly lower in the UBD subjects (P < 0.05) and peak workload achieved did not differ significantly between the two groups. Conclusions: Upper body adiposity subjects had higher oxygen requirement, more rapid and shallow breathing, higher ventilatory demand, but lower anaerobic threshold than the LBD individuals during progressive exercise. It suggests that the cardiopulmonary endurance to exercise in MO patients with upper body fat distribution is lower than in those with lower body fat distribution. [source] The relationship between plasma leptin concentrations and the distribution of body fat in crossbred steersANIMAL SCIENCE JOURNAL, Issue 2 2003Tomoya YAMADA Abstract The objective of the present study was to examine the relationship between plasma leptin levels and fat distribution in crossbred steers. Twenty-four crossbred steers (Japanese Black × Holstein) were used in this study. Six steers belonged to the growing phase (11 months of age), and 18 steers to the finishing phase (from 21 to 28 months of age). Plasma leptin levels correlated positively with body fat weight (r = 0.807, P < 0.01), body fat percentage (r = 0.802, P < 0.01), visceral fat weight (r = 0.807, P < 0.01), visceral fat percentage (r = 0.780, P < 0.01), subcutaneous fat weight (r = 0.745, P < 0.01), subcutaneous fat percentage (r = 0.734, P < 0.01), intermuscular fat weight (r = 0.793, P < 0.01), intermuscular fat percentage (0.775, P < 0.01), renal fat weight (r = 0.694, P < 0.01), renal fat percentage (r = 0.642, P < 0.01), subcutaneous fat thickness (r = 0.755, P < 0.01), intermuscular fat thickness (r = 0.721, P < 0.01), beef marbling score (r = 0.706, P < 0.01) and the crude fat content of Musculus longissimus thoracis (r = 0.592, P < 0.01). The location of fat deposits did not affect the correlation values. However, when steers were divided into growing (n = 6) and finishing (n = 18) groups, there was no significant correlation between plasma leptin levels and the carcass characteristics related to fat deposition (fat weight, fat percentage, carcass traits) in either group. These results suggest that plasma leptin levels in crossbred steers positively correlate with body fat content and carcass traits when these parameters vary widely. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||