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PubMed2001

Obesity and body fat distribution induce endothelial dysfunction by oxidative stress: protective effect of vitamin C.

Endothelial dysfunction has been reported in obese subjects, but its mechanism has not been elucidated. We have therefore investigated 1) the possible relationship among BMI, waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), and endothelium-dependent vasodilation and 2) whether oxidative stress participates in endothelial dysfunction. We recruited 76 healthy subjects (50 men and 26 women aged 21-45 years) and measured their BMI (kg/m2), WHR, and insulin resistance (IR) estimated by the homeostasis model assessment (HOMA). Endothelium-dependent and -independent vasodilation were assessed by increasing doses of acetylcholine (ACh) (7.5, 15, and 30 pg x ml(-1) x min(-1)) and sodium nitroprusside (SNP) (0.8, 1.6, and 3.2 microg x ml(-1) x min(-1)) during saline and vitamin C coinfusion (24 mg/min). The effects of cyclooxygenase activity were evaluated by a dose-response curve to intrabrachial coinfusion of ACh and indomethacin (500 microg/min). Three different groups have been identified according to their BMI: group A (BMI <25), consisting of 10 men and 5 women; group B (BMI between 25 and 29), consisting of 16 men and 8 women; and group C (BMI > or =30), consisting of 24 men and 13 women. Obese subjects had significantly lower forearm blood flow (FBF) during ACh infusions (means +/- SD): 19.8 +/- 2.8, 10.8 +/- 2.7, and 6.5 +/- 1.8 ml x 100 ml(-1) tissue x min(-1) (P < 0.0001) for groups A, B, and C, respectively. SNP caused comparable increments in FBF in all groups. Regression analysis revealed a significant negative correlation between BMI (r = -0.676, P < 0.0001), WHR (r = -0.631, P < 0.0001), fasting insulin (r = -0.695, P < 0.0001), HOMA-IR (r = -0.633, P < 0.0001), and percent peak increase in FBF during ACh infusion. In obese subjects, both vitamin C and indomethacin increased the impaired vasodilating response to ACh, whereas the SNP effect was unchanged. In conclusion, in obese subjects, ACh-stimulated vasodilation is blunted, and the increase in FBF is inversely related to BMI, WHR, fasting insulin, and HOMA-IR. The effects of both vitamin C and indomethacin on impaired ACh-stimulated vasodilation support the hypothesis that oxidative stress contributes to endothelial dysfunction in human obesity.

Acetylcholine↗
PubMed1991

Endocrine disorders and body fat distribution.

To evaluate the role of hormones in formation of regional fat distribution, the ratios of visceral fat (V) to subcutaneous fat (S) in the abdomen of rats with various endocrine disorders were determined by computer tomography. Abdominal fat index (AFI), which was obtained by ultrasonography, correlated with V/S. In Cushing's syndrome, seven out of nine patients showed visceral type and V/S ratio positively correlated with cortisol levels. In acromegaly, three out of four patients showed visceral type and V/S ratio correlated not only with growth hormone level, but also with insulin level. All three insulinoma patients showed visceral type. During pregnancy, AFI decreased at the late stage of pregnancy. These results suggest that in visceral fat formation, insulin is the most important factor, and estrogen is an important factor for subcutaneous formation. In vitro experiments showed that visceral fat was much more sensitive to insulin in terms of glucose uptake and triglyceride synthesis than visceral fat. Fibroblast-like cells derived from adipose tissue were cultured. Estrone enhanced cell growth of fibroblast-like cells derived from subcutaneous fat tissue more than that from visceral fat tissue. The results suggested that hyperinsulinism primarily promotes visceral fat tissue enlargement and that estrogen might promote subcutaneous fat tissue enlargement.

Acromegaly↗
PubMed1997

Offspring sex ratio in women with android body fat distribution.

The relationship between waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), several behavioral factors, and the number of male and female offspring was examined in a sample of 69 women. Two questions were examined: (1) Are hormonal differences, as indicated by differences in the WHR, associated with offspring sex ratio? and (2) are there any behavioral factors, such as coital frequency or orgasm, that are associated with offspring sex ratio? After statistically controlling for subject's age, socioeconomic status, and total number of offspring, we found that women with a higher WHR tended to have more sons than daughters. In addition, women who reported greater ease of having multiple orgasms also tended to have more sons than daughters. The results thus support both a hormonal and a behavioral influence on offspring sex ratio.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Studies in the distribution of body fat. II. Longitudinal effects of change in weight.

Information on the effects of age, sex, obesity and weight change on the fat distribution pattern has not been systematically reported. As an index of body fat distribution, the waist hip circumference ratio (WHR) was computed in 370 men and 177 women aged 22-86 years, participants of the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging. For cross-sectional analysis, initial data on the participants were analyzed; for longitudinal study, the changes in the measurements related to weight change during a 5-year follow-up were analyzed. From cross-sectional analysis: (1) waist circumference is larger in men than in women and increases progressively with age; (2) hip circumference shows no consistent age or sex differences; (3) thus, the well known sex differences in WHR are totally attributable to differences in waist circumference; (4) increases in WHR with age occur in both men and women. From longitudinal analysis of weight change: (1) changes in waist and hip circumferences are correlated directly with changes in weight in both sexes, but there are large differential sex effects; (2) in men, waist changes dominate; (3) in women, waist and hip changes are nearly the same; (4) thus, weight changes in men have large effects on the WHR, while in women changes in WHR are very small. Men, as a group, have a more dangerous fat distribution pattern than women, but men as a group will show a more beneficial pattern of change in WHR with weight control than women.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed2006

Sonographic subcutaneous and visceral fat indices represent the distribution of body fat volume.

BACKGROUND: A reliable method for direct measurement of both subcutaneous and visceral fat volume is the measurement of fat tissue area from tomographic pictures by CT or by MR imaging. However, these are not widely usable because of high cost and/or exposure to radiation. METHODS: We compared sonographic subcutaneous and visceral fat indices with fat distribution by serial-slice MR imaging in 17 subjects. Sonographic subcutaneous or visceral fat index is standardized thickness of subcutaneous fat tissue or the intra-abdominal depth at the level of umbilicus by height. RESULTS: Sonographic visceral fat index and intra-abdominal depth were significantly correlated with visceral fat volume by serial-slice MR imaging (r = 0.746, r = 0.726, respectively). Similarly, sonographic subcutaneous fat index and subcutaneous fat thickness were significantly correlated with subcutaneous fat volume by serial-slice MR imaging (r = 0.825, r = 0.816, respectively). The ratio of sonographic visceral fat index and sonographic subcutaneous fat index was closely correlated with the ratio of the visceral fat volume and the subcutaneous fat volume by single-slice MR imaging, which proves to be related to cardiovascular disease risk (r = 0.722). CONCLUSION: Sonographic subcutaneous or visceral fat index could be an easily measured and inexpensive indicator for the assessment of fat distribution instead of CT or MR imaging.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

[Obesity and distribution of body fat. Correlation between anthropometric and tomographic data on areas at the abdominal level].

In a sample made up of 83 males and 68 females different parameters and external anthropometric indexes were compared (folds, perimeters and indexes of central fat distribution) with direct measurements of abdominal fat obtained by computerized tomography (visceral fat, subcutaneous fat and visceral/subcutaneous index). Anthropometric and tomographic differences between males and females were determined. Likewise, an analysis was made of variations in the fat pattern and subcutaneous and intra-abdominal visceral fat deposits, considering age and overweight. The results obtained in this study reveal different fat patterns for each sex, changes with age in body fat distribution, and different usefulness of external anthropometric measures in males and females to predict fat deposits and their distribution at the abdominal level.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1991

Postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy prevents central distribution of body fat after menopause.

The reduction in cardiovascular risk induced by hormone replacement therapy is only partly explained by changes in serum lipids and lipoproteins. As body composition and body fat distribution in particular are independent predictors of cardiovascular disease, we investigated the effect of postmenopausal hormone therapy on body composition parameters directly measured. Sixty-two early postmenopausal women were followed up for 2 years in a prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled study. We found that combined estrogen-progestogen therapy prevented the increase in abdominal fat after menopause (P less than .05), and that this effect was independent of the effect on serum lipids and lipoproteins. The therapy reduced postmenopausal bone loss significantly (P less than .001), whereas it did not have a statistically significant influence on total body fat mass or total lean body mass. The findings of the present study suggest that some of the protective impact of postmenopausal hormone therapy on cardiovascular disease may be explained by the effect on body composition, in particular abdominal fat.

Abdomen↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Relationship between eating behavior and distribution of body fat].

In these recent few years the study of the pathogenesis of obesity include the observation of the difference in eating behaviour between obese and non obese subjects. Therefore, current therapies now take into account, among others, also a program of behavioural therapy. On the other hand, recent studies have revealed the role of different body fat distribution on the obesity prognosis, especially considering cardiovascular risk factors. To this purpose much attention has been focused on the measurement of waist and hips circumferences and their ratio (WHR) considered important predictors of risk associated with obesity. Aim of this study was the observation of some differences in eating habits and psychological status during a 24-hr period in relationship with the android or gynecoid type of obesity. 102 outpatients were divided in two groups: 1) with WHR less than 0.85; 2) with WHR greater than or equal to 0.85. All subjects were given a questionnaire in which by a scale from 0 to 3 they expressed their appetite sensation during different hours of the day. In addition, they indicated their motivation to loose body weight. Our results demonstrated that subjects with WHR greater than or equal to 0.85 showed higher appetite sensation, during the whole day, with a peak at lunch, in comparison with subjects with WHR less than 0.85. Subjects with gynecoid type of obesity seemed to pay much attention to their body image than subjects with android type of obesity and complained less physical disorders than subjects of the second group. These preliminary data seem to suggest a non-secondary role of behavioural pattern in obesity also by affecting the different regional fat distribution.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1999

[An assessment of abdominal fatty tissue distribution in obese children. A comparison between echography and computed tomography].

PURPOSE: Computed tomography (CT) and, more recently, ultrasound (US), have proved excellent tools for quantifying adipose tissue distribution. Body fat distribution is an important factor in the treatment of obesity and its complications. We investigated the correlation between CT and US measurements in pediatric obesity. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Forty obese children and adolescents aged 4.1-14.8 years were submitted to CT and US. Intra-abdominal, subcutaneous and total body fat were calculated (in cm2), with the CT image analysis software. The rectus muscle-spine and rectus muscle-aorta distances, as indicative of visceral fat thickness, were measured on US images with(out) compression. The distance between skin-fat and fat-rectus muscle interfaces was measured as subcutaneous fat thickness. We also compared US-CT findings with other morphometric variables--i.e., patient's (ideal) body weight and skin fold measures. RESULTS: At US, the rectus muscle-aorta and rectus muscle-spine distances ranged 2.4-7.5 cm (mean: 4.47 cm) and 3.6-8.9 cm (mean: 5.79 cm), respectively. The skin-rectus muscle distance ranged 1.2-7.5 cm (mean: 3.14 cm). A statistically significant correlation was found between the CT measurement of visceral fat and the aorta-rectus muscle and rectus muscle-spine distances (r = 0.80 and 0.74, respectively). The US measurements of subcutaneous fat were correlated with CT subcutaneous fat area (r = 0.82). No correlation was found between overweight, as calculated by body mass index, and CT or US fat. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that US is as useful as CT in evaluating body fat distribution in pediatric obesity.

Abdomen↗
PubMed1989

Studies in the distribution of body fat: I. Effects of age, sex, and obesity.

The pattern of body fat distribution has been shown to be related to a large number of variables of clinical importance. A variety of indices have been devised, many of them simple enough to be useful in large-scale clinical studies. Relationships among these several indices and systematic information on the effects of age, sex, and obesity have, however, not been systematically studied. Five anthropometric ratios that classify individuals into different body types have been computed for 1179 men and women aged 17-96 years. These are: waist hip ratio, arm thigh ratio, waist thigh ratio, waist arm ratio, and subscapular triceps skinfold ratio. In general, the age patterns show progressive trends toward increasing upper and central body fat deposition with age. In women there tends to be a postmenopausal acceleration of this trend. The ratios are distinctly higher in men than in women and are also independently influenced by the body mass index. Predictive equations that take age and BMI into account for each of the indices for men and women have been provided.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1995

The Effects of Fat Distribution on Resting Energy Expenditure in Premenopausal Morbidly Obese Females.

BACKGROUND: upper body, or abdominal, distribution of body fat is associated with a number of metabolic and hormonal aberrations that could influence resting energy expenditure REE. The purpose of our study was to examine the effects of fat distribution on REE of 96 morbidly obese premenopausal females. METHODS: the study population consisted of three groups of study subjects, 32 with lower body fat distribution (LBD) and waist-to-hip circumference ratios WHR < 0.80, 20 with intermediate (INT) fat distribution and WHR between 0.80 and 0.85 and 34 females with upper body distribution of fat (UBD) and WHR > 0.85. Indices measured included: (1) REE; (2) maximal oxygen consumption during an exercise tolerance test (VO&inf2; max); (3) basal respiratory quotient (RO); (4) fasting blood glucose; and (5) serum cholesterol and triglycerides. RESULTS: we found that morbidly obese women who store fat abdominally (WHR > 0.80) have significantly (p < 0.01) higher REE (kcal per h per BSA) than those with lower body obesity. Levels of triglyceride and glucose of the UBD group were also higher than those of the LBD subjects, i.e. 35% and 23%, respectively. VO&inf2; max and RO were similar between the study groups, suggesting that the elevated REE of the patients with abdominal adiposity were likely not the result of their greater muscle mass or differences in substrate utilization. CONCLUSION: fat distribution affects REE in morbidly obese premenopausal females, and further research is needed to identify the various entities regulating REE in the morbidly obese.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1988

Relationships between body fatness, adipose tissue distribution and blood pressure in men and women.

The relationships between body fatness, fat distribution and blood pressure (BP) were studied in 234 women and 238 men, aged 18-50 years. In both sexes, subcutaneous (s.c.) fat (assessed by the measurement of s.c. skinfolds) and percent body fat (measured by underwater weighing) were correlated significantly with diastolic (0.27 less than or equal to r less than or equal to 0.37, p less than 0.0005) and systolic (0.17 less than or equal to r less than or equal to 0.29, p less than 0.01) BP. In either sex, the proportion of s.c. trunk fat as reflected by the ratio of trunk/extremity skinfolds showed significant associations with diastolic (men: r = 0.35, women: r = 0.20, p less than 0.01) and systolic BP (men: r = 0.15, women: r = 0.17, p less than 0.05). Control for the effects of covariables potentially affecting BP (energy intake, energy expenditure, maximal oxygen consumption, cigarette smoking, alcohol intake and age) revealed significant effects of age and alcohol intake on BP in men. In women, only age appeared to be associated with BP variation. Partial correlations after control for age and alcohol intake indicated a significant association between the trunk/extremity skinfolds ratio and diastolic BP in men. Such a correlation was not found in women after control for the effect of age. Analysis of variance (2 x 2 factorial with fixed effects) confirmed that, in men, the distribution of s.c. body fat was, per se, associated with diastolic BP (F = 8.43, p less than 0.01), whereas the proportional of s.c. trunk fat was not related to systolic BP in both sexes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed2006

Committed subcutaneous preadipocytes are reduced in human obesity.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: The aim of this study was to test whether the availability of committed preadipocytes in abdominal and femoral subcutaneous adipose tissue varies with obesity and body fat distribution. METHODS: Body composition, fat cell size, committed preadipocytes and macrophages were measured in subcutaneous abdominal and femoral adipose depots of 17 lean, 16 upper-body-obese (UBO) and 13 lower-body-obese (LBO) women. Preadipocytes and macrophages were identified by simultaneous staining with the respective markers aP2 and CD68. In a subset of samples we measured preadipocyte proliferation, differentiation and susceptibility to apoptosis. RESULTS: Abdominal adipocytes were smaller in lean than in obese women. Committed preadipocytes represented a greater fraction of stromovascular cells in lean than in obese women but were similar between UBO and LBO women (abdomen: approximately 30 +/- 3 vs approximately 17 +/- 2%; thigh: approximately 30 +/- 3 vs approximately 17 +/- 2%). Preliminary data suggested that preadipocyte kinetics were similar in LBO and lean women, whereas preadipocytes of UBO women differentiated less and were more susceptible to apoptotic stimuli. The fraction of stromovascular cells that were macrophages was greater in both depots in obese women (UBO and LBO) than in normal-weight women, but the difference was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: The proportion of subcutaneous adipose tissue stromovascular cells that are committed preadipocytes is reduced with obesity. This could be due to greater recruitment of preadipocytes to adipogenesis or greater preadipocyte apoptosis, depending upon the obesity phenotype. These data are consistent with the concept that body fat distribution may be regulated partly through differences in adipogenesis.

Abdomen↗