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PubMed1999

Body mass index and distribution of body fat in female Bosnian refugees--a study in primary health care.

Between 1992 and 1996 more than one million refugees, mostly women, received asylum in the USA, Canada and Germany and about 47,000 of them sought refuge in Sweden. Little is known about their cardiovascular health. Using data from a cross-sectional study of a simple random sample of non-patients, female Bosnian refugees (n = 98) aged 18-59 and Swedish-born controls (n = 95) we examined six primary diet cardiovascular risk factors: S-triglycerides, S-cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, and sagittal diameter of the abdomen. Bosnian women aged 42-59 y had substantially higher levels of BMI, larger waist and sagittal diameter of the abdomen measurements, higher levels of S-triglycerides, and lower HDL cholesterol indicating a more disadvantaged diet (CVD risk profile) than Swedish women. Younger Bosnian women aged 18-41 y had a higher sagittal diameter of the abdomen and lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol than Swedish women. In conclusion this is the first study to report large differences in blood lipids, obesity and abdominal obesity after adjustment for socioeconomic status between Bosnian and Swedish women. These findings underscore the critical need to improve early detection obesity-related conditions in Bosnian women in exile.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed2000

Psychiatric ill health and distribution of body fat mass among female immigrants in Sweden.

Given the association between psychiatric factors and obesity, the aims of the present study were to identify these variables among native Swedish as well as immigrant women, and to compare the prevalence of psychiatric ill health in women of foreign ethnicity with Swedish women. Information on melancholia, life satisfaction, sleeping problems, and use of psychoactive drugs as well as alcohol and smoking habits was obtained from questionnaires in a randomly selected population (n = 1464, participation rate 78%, aged 40 y). Height, body weight and circumferences of waist and hip were self-measured, so allowing calculations of the body mass index (BMI) and the waist to hip ratio (WHR) to be made. Among those who responded 246 (21.9%) were immigrants, divided into the following demographic clusters Nordic countries; Rest of Europe; and Non-European. Among native Swedes, use of psychoactive drugs and melancholy were associated with both BMI and WHR. BMI-associated with use of antidepressants in women from Nordic countries with a short duration of stay, and in subjects with a long duration of residence, was related to life satisfaction. Among subjects from the Rest of Europe, the use of hypnotics was negatively related to BMI, and life satisfaction was positively associated with WHR. Among Non-Europeans with a long duration of residence, BMI was positively connected to the use of anxiolytics and, negatively, to life satisfaction. Furthermore, melancholy was positively associated with WHR (borderline, P=0.086) in Non-Europeans. Subjects from Nordic countries were characterised by a relatively low use of psychoactive drugs and infrequent insomnia. In contrast, subjects from the Rest of Europe with short duration of stay showed a relatively extensive use of psychoactive drugs, and the Non-European group with short duration of stay experienced frequent insomnia, and a low degree of life satisfaction as well as high degree of melancholy. The association between psychiatric factors and obesity is not uniform across ethnic groups, suggesting a combination of genetic predisposition and psychosocial vulnerability. The high prevalence of psychiatric ill health among some ethnic groups should be a matter of public health concern.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1996

Effect of regular physical training on age-associated alteration of body composition in men.

Body composition changes with increasing age in men, in that lean body mass decreases whereas fat mass increases. Whether this altered body composition is related to decreasing physical activity or to the known age-associated decrease in growth hormone secretion is uncertain. To address this question, three groups of healthy men (n = 14 in each group), matched for weight, height and body mass index, were investigated using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, indirect calorimetry and estimate of daily growth hormone secretion [i.e. plasma insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I-) levels]. Group 1 comprised young untrained subjects aged 31.0 +/- 2.1 years (mean +/- SEM) taking no regular physical exercise; group 2 consisted of old untrained men aged 68.6 +/- 1.2 years; and group 3 consisted of healthy old men aged 67.4 +/- 1.2 years undergoing regular physical training for more than 10 years with a training distance of at least 30 km per week. Subjects in group 3 had for the past three years taken part in the 'Grand Prix of Berne', a 16.5-km race run at a speed of 4.7 +/- 0.6 min km-1 (most recent race). Fat mass was more than 4 kg higher in old untrained men (P < 0.01, ANOVA) than in the other groups (young untrained men, 12.0 +/- 0.9 kg; old untrained men, 16.1 +/- 1.0 kg; old trained men, 11.0 +/- 0.8 kg), whereas body fat distribution (i.e. the ratio of upper to lower body fat mass) was similar between the three groups. The lean mass of old untrained men was more than 3.5 kg lower (P < 0.02, ANOVA) than in the other two groups (young untrained men, 56.4 +/- 1.0 kg; old untrained men, 52.4 +/- 1.0 kg; old trained men, 56.0 +/- 1.0 kg), mostly because of a loss of skeletal muscle mass in the arms and legs (young untrained men, 24.0 +/- 0.5 kg; old untrained men 20.8 +/- 0.5 kg; old trained men, 23.6 +/- 0.7 kg; P < 0.01, ANOVA). Resting metabolic rate per kilogram lean mass decreased with increasing age independently of physical activity (r = -0.42, P < 0.005). Fuel metabolism was determined by indirect calorimetry at rest. Protein oxidation was similar in the three groups. Old untrained men had higher (P < 0.001) carbohydrate oxidation (young untrained men, 13.2 +/- 1.0 kcal kg-1 lean mass; old untrained men, 15.2 +/- 1.3 kcal Kg-1; old trained men, 7.8 +/- 0.8 kcal kg-1), but lower (P < 0.05, ANOVA) fat oxidation (young untrained men, 10.1 +/- 1.2 kcal kg-1 lean mass; old untrained men, 6.5 +/- 1.0 kcal kg-1; old trained men, 13.7 +/- 1.0 kcal kg-1) than the other two groups. Mean plasma IGF-I level in old trained men was higher than in old untrained men (P < 0.05), but was still lower than that observed in young untrained men (P < 0.005) (young untrained men, 236 +/- 24 ng mL-1; old untrained men, 119 +/- 13 ng mL-1; old trained men, 166 +/- 14 ng mL-1). In summary, regular physical training in older men seems to prevent the changes in body composition and fuel metabolism normally associated with ageing. Whether regular physical training in formerly untrained old subjects would result in similar changes awaits further study.

Absorptiometry, Photon↗
PubMed1992

Body measurements, estrogen availability and the risk of human breast cancer: a case-control study.

Recent studies on lifestyle-related mechanisms involved in cardiovascular risk offer important clues for a better understanding of breast-cancer epidemiology. Central body-fat distribution promoted by an affluent dietary intake and a sedentary lifestyle over many years is related to elevated serum triglycerides and free fatty acids, with lower levels of sex-hormone-binding globulin (SHBG). The resulting greater availability of estradiol not bound to SHBG could help to explain the high breast-cancer incidence in Western industrialized countries. We conducted a case-control study comparing 225 women aged 38 to 75 years with operable (stage I or II) breast cancer and 441 women of the same age having no breast cancer who participated in a population-based breast-cancer screening program. Body fatness, as measured by body mass index (BMI), fat distribution as measured by waist-to-hip girth ratio (WHR), body height, serum lipids, SHBG and the available fraction of estradiol were analyzed in a conditional logistic regression, together with family history for breast cancer, reproductive history and smoking. Post-menopausal cases showed no difference in body fatness (BMI), but a significant preponderance of central adiposity (WHR). In contrast, pre-menopausal cases were significantly leaner, but had a similar body-fat distribution as compared with controls. In all women, WHR, and less strongly BMI, was positively correlated with serum levels of triglycerides and available estradiol fractions. An independent, positive linear correlation between body height and relative risk (RR) was observed. Moreover, a significant correlation between SHBG and menarcheal age was seen in cases, but not in controls. These data support our hypothesis that lifestyle relates to breast-cancer risk by metabolic-endocrine mechanisms which modulate the availability of individual sex-steroid concentrations in plasma. The findings of height as a risk factor and adult SHBG levels being correlated with menarcheal age suggest that lifestyle factors promoting breast-cancer development already act around puberty. The leanness of pre-menopausal cases awaits further explanation.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

The combined effect of adiposity, fat distribution and age on cardiovascular risk factors and motor disability in a cohort of obese women (aged 18-83).

Obesity is associated with a number of serious diseases and with a degree of motor disability, but the extent of the risk and functional derangement within the obese population is not yet completely defined. The study aims to evaluate the combined effect of degree of adiposity, body fat distribution and age on selected cardiovascular risk factors and functional motor disability in a cohort of obese women. A multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) is employed to show the combined impact of body mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) and age on systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP), total and HDL cholesterol (T-CH and HDL-CH), coronary heart disease (CHD) risk, leg power output (W, assessed with a Margaria test for stair climbing) and subjective general fatigue in a cohort of 463 obese women (BMI range 30.2-66.7 kg/m2; age range 18-83 yr). High WHR and older age, but not BMI, are to a variable degree related to unfavorable values of parameters which contribute to the cardiovascular risk. WHR in the high range is associated with significantly higher values of SBP (p<0.001), CHD risk scores (p<0.001) as well as lower levels of HDL-CH (p=0.01), while older age is significantly associated with higher SBP (p<0.001), T-CH (p<0.001) and CHD risk scores (p<0.001). A significant interaction between age and WHR was detected in the effect on DBP (p=0.01), the negative role of high WHR values being apparent in older women (age > or = 51 yr) but not in younger ones (age < 51 yr). Although not significantly related to CHD risk scores, BMI interacted significantly with WHR in determining high risk score values (p=0.01), the negative effect of a high WHR being apparent in women with a high degree of obesity (BMI > or = 40 kg/m2) but not in those with a low one (BMI < 40 kg/m2). In contrast, WHR did not significantly affect W, which appeared to be mainly dependent on age (p<0.001) and BMI (p<0.001), when considered in terms of unit body mass (BM). Subjective global fatigue, however, was unaffected by any of the factors considered. In the present cohort of obese women, older age and excessive abdominal fat distribution (as assessed by WHR) appear to be significant factors in relation to increased cardiovascular disease risk, irrespective of BMI, while older age and higher levels of overall adiposity are associated with functional motor derangement irrespective of body fat distribution. This suggests that obesity increases metabolic risk and induces motor dysfunction by means of different biological mechanisms and with a different impact within the obese female population.

Adiposity↗
PubMed1997

Relationship of serum leptin to total and truncal body fat.

1. In this study we investigated the relationship between serum leptin levels and body fat distribution in a random sample of women of widely ranging age and body mass index. Anthropometry and dual energy X-ray absorptiometry were used to measure body fat and its distribution. 2. Leptin levels (log transformed) were not significantly correlated with age, but were significantly positively correlated (P < 0.001) with most anthropometric measures except waist-to-hip circumference ratio. The strongest correlations were with total grams of body fat and percentage body fat (r = 0.68 and 0.76 respectively, P < 0.001). When corrected for percentage body fat the partial correlation coefficients for all other measures became non-significant. The correlation with truncal body fat fell significantly from 0.66 to -0.05 after correction, but the partial correlation with total body fat remained significant (P < 0.005) when grams of truncal fat were controlled for (r = 0.21). 3. These results indicate that the relationship of serum leptin to percentage body fat is the strongest, and that truncal body fat, although the most metabolically active, does not appear to have an independent association with serum leptin.

Absorptiometry, Photon↗
PubMed2001

Fat distribution and metabolic changes are strongly correlated and energy expenditure is increased in the HIV lipodystrophy syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationships between protease inhibitor (PI) therapy, body fat distribution and metabolic disturbances in the HIV lipodystrophy syndrome. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: HIV primary care practices. PATIENTS: PI-treated patients with lipodystrophy (n= 14) and PI-treated (n= 13) and PI-naive (n= 5) patients without lipodystrophy. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Body composition was assessed by physical examination, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and computed tomography. Insulin sensitivity (SI) was measured using the insulin-modified frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test. Lipid profiles, other metabolic parameters, duration of HIV infection, CD4 lymphocyte counts, HIV-1 RNA load and resting energy expenditure (REE) were also assessed. RESULTS: PI-treated patients with lipodystrophy were significantly less insulin sensitive than PI-treated patients and PI-naive patients without any changes in fat distribution (SI(22) x 10(-4) (min(-1)/microU/ml) versus 3.2 x 10(-4) and 4.6 x 10(-4) (min(-1)/microU/ml), respectively; P < 0.001). Visceral adipose tissue area and other measures of central adiposity correlated strongly with metabolic disturbances as did the percent of total body fat present in the extremities; visceral adipose tissue was an independent predictor of insulin sensitivity and high density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. REE per kg lean body mass was significantly higher in the group with lipodystrophy compared to the groups without lipodystrophy (36.9 versus 31.5 and 29.4 kcal/kg lean body mass; P < 0.001), and SI was strongly correlated with and was an independent predictor of REE in this population. CONCLUSIONS: Body fat distribution and metabolic disturbances are strongly correlated in the HIV lipodystrophy syndrome and REE is increased.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Hypertension in obese and non-obese non-insulin dependent diabetics a matter of regional adiposity?

There is growing evidence that differences in fat distribution can be predictive for differences in the prevalence of metabolic disturbances, cardio-vascular disease, stroke and death, independent of commonly used indices of obesity. This study evaluates regional body fat distribution as a possible main reason for hypertension in obese and non-obese type II diabetics. 42% of normal weight diabetics with abdominal obesity are hypertensive versus 47% of obese diabetics; only 5% hypertension could be found when a lower body segment fat distribution is present. A significant (p less than 0.001) correlation exists between fat mass topography and both systolic (r = 0.49) and diastolic (r = 0.49) blood pressure. This correlation remains true after correction for body mass index and percent glycosylated hemoglobin. These results suggest that localization of fat in the upper body segment should be considered as a additive risk for hypertension.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed2005

Effects of different types of exercise on body composition and fat distribution in HIV-infected patients: a brief review.

HIV infection and its treatment is associated with unfavourable metabolic and morphological abnormalities. These metabolic abnormalities, particularly alterations in body composition and fat distribution, may increase the risk for cardiovascular and metabolic complications, as well as reduce functional independence and lower self-esteem. Thus there is an urgent need to develop interventions intended to manage secondary side effects of HIV or antiretroviral therapy-related complications. In poly-treated patients, nonpharmacological interventions are a logical first step. Exercise training in particular may help alleviate some of the metabolic adverse effects associated with antiretroviral therapy by favourably altering body composition and patterns of body fat distribution. Studies have shown that exercise training, particularly aerobic training, can help reduce total body and visceral fat, as well as normalizing lipid profiles in HIV-infected patients. The results for resistance training, however, are less conclusive. Knowledge of the use of resistance and aerobic training and its attendant effects on insulin resistance and adipocytokines may represent an effective nonpharmacologic means for treating metabolic complications of HIV-infected persons who are receiving appropriate antiretroviral therapy. In this brief review we examine the effects of aerobic and resistance training on body composition, body fat distribution, and selected metabolic outcomes.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed2006

Comparison of ultrasonographic and anthropometric methods to assess body fat in childhood obesity.

BACKGROUND: Pattern of fat distribution rather than obesity is of importance for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The accurate measurement of total and regional fat mass requires sophisticated and often expensive methods that have limited applicability in the clinical setting. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to evaluate body fat distributions by ultrasound (US) as a gold standard method for measuring visceral, preperitoneal and subcutaneous fat layers and comparing with anthropometric results, and then to find the most reliable anthropometric measurement in childhood obesity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Study group of 51 obese children (21 F, 30 M) (mean age+/-s.d.: 11.5+/-2.6 years) and control group of 33 non-obese children (17 F, 16 M) (mean age+/-s.d.: 12.2+/-2.7 years) were recruited for this study. Anthropometric measurements as body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), waist/hip ratio (WHR), triceps and subscapular skinfold thicknesses were taken from all the participants. Abdominal preperitoneal (P), subcutaneous (S) fat at their maximum (max) and minimum (min) thickness sites, visceral (V), triceps (TrUS) and subscapular (SsUS) fat thicknesses were also measured ultrasonographically. RESULTS: In the obese group, BMI was significantly correlated with US measurements of fat thicknesses, except Pmin and SsUS, whereas in the control group, BMI was significantly correlated with all US fat measurements. The relation of US measurements with skinfold thickness and WC was more significant in the control than in the obese group. No relation between WHR and US fat thickness measurements was found in both groups. Multiple regression analysis, using V as the dependent variable and anthropometric parameters, gender and the group as the independent variables, revealed BMI was the best single predictor of V (R(2): 0.53). CONCLUSION: This study suggests that the validity of the anthropometric skinfold thickness in the obese children is low. Despite the limitations reported in the literature, in our study, BMI provides the best estimate of body fat. WHR in children and adolescents is not a good index to show intra-abdominal fat deposition.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed2001

Phenotypic heterogeneity in patients with familial partial lipodystrophy (dunnigan variety) related to the site of missense mutations in lamin a/c gene.

The lamin A/C (LMNA) gene has recently been reported to be mutated in familial partial lipodystrophy, Dunnigan variety (FPLD). We found mutations within exon 8 of LMNA (R482Q, R482W, and G465D) in 12 families with typical FPLD and in exon 11 (R582H) in 1 atypical family. To investigate phenotypic heterogeneity, we compared body fat distribution, using anthropometry and whole body magnetic resonance imaging, and metabolic parameters in women with atypical and typical FPLD. Compared with women with typical FPLD, the two sisters with atypical FPLD had less severe loss of sc fat from all the extremities and trunk and particularly from the gluteal region and medial parts of proximal thighs. Both types had similar excess of fat deposition in the neck, face, intraabdominal, and intermuscular regions. Women with atypical FPLD tended to have lower serum triglyceride and higher high density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations. As exon 11 of LMNA does not comprise part of the lamin C-coding region, the R582H mutation affects only lamin A protein. Therefore, a unique phenotype of atypical FPLD may result from disrupted interaction of lamin A with other proteins and chromatin compared with typical FPLD, in which interaction of both lamins A and C may be disrupted.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1994

Relationship between cardiorespiratory fitness and lipoprotein(a) in men and women.

Lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] is a distinct lipoprotein of the low density lipoprotein (LDL) class. Research has shown that elevated Lp(a) is an independent risk factor for coronary heart disease (CHD). The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to determine whether fitness was associated with Lp(a) concentrations. Cardiorespiratory (CR) fitness, assessed by maximal treadmill time, percent body fat (hydrodensitometry), body fat distribution (waist/hip ratio), lipoprotein profile and LDL particle size (2-16% gel electrophoresis) were determined in healthy Caucasian men (N = 100) and women (N = 50). As expected, the frequency distribution of Lp(a) was highly skewed with a mean level of 16.9 +/- 19.1 mg.dl-1 (range 0.10-90 mg.dl-1) for men and women combined. Lp(a) was only significantly (P < 0.05) correlated with cholesterol (r = 0.29) in women and LDL-C (r = 0.22) in men. However, after correcting LDL-C for Lp(a) content, the correlation was not significant (r = 0.06). A MANCOVA, controlling for age, across highest and lowest CR fitness quartiles suggest a typical positive influence of improved CR fitness on lipoproteins, body composition, and fat distribution; however, Lp(a) levels were not affected. These data indicate that there is no direct association between plasma Lp(a) and body composition, fat distribution, or CR fitness in healthy men and women.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1994

[Fat distribution in Japanese women. Part 2. Fat thickness of extremities and classification of fat distribution of whole body].

The first object of this paper was to follow the previous paper in clarifying the characteristics of the fat distribution on the extremities. The subcutaneous fat thickness was measured at 64 points on the upper extremity and on 129 points on the lower extremity. The difference of the fat distribution between obese subjects and lean subjects was mainly observed on the back of the upper arm and the thigh. The second object of this paper was to clarify the characteristics of the fat distribution on both the trunk and the extremities and to study the factors which contribute to the fat distribution of the whole body. Average subcutaneous fat thickness over the body was 7.8 mm, and the standard deviation was 1.2 mm. Types of fat distribution of the whole body were classified by principal component analysis of average fat thickness in the 8 regions. The first component was the size factor which expressed the amount of fat on the whole body. The second component showed the contrast of fat distribution in the lower extremities and in the breast, abdomen, back and arms. These two components accounted for 90.79% of the variance of fat distribution. Measuring points, which showed high correlation coefficient with the average fat thickness of the whole body, were abdomen, subscapular, back, thigh and side breast.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1996

Menopause, fat and lean distribution in obese women.

OBJECTIVES: Whether menopause per se influences fat distribution independently of the effect of aging remains controversial. The lack of consistency in the menopause related changes in body fat distribution may be the result of differences in the methods for measuring fat distribution or in the characteristics of the women studied. The aim of this cross sectional study in obese women was to compare total body composition and regional fat and lean distribution, in premenopausal, perimenopausal and postmenopausal women. METHODS: Body composition was assessed by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) in premenopausal (n = 26), perimenopausal (n = 24) and postmenopausal (n = 73) obese women with no intercurrent diseases. RESULTS: It was shown that postmenopausal obese (n = 73) women had a higher proportion of total fat mass in the trunk and a lower proportion of total fat and lean mass in the femoral and leg regions than premenopausal women after adjustment for age and total fat mass. In the same analysis, perimenopausal women had a lower proportion of total fat in the leg and femoral regions and of total lean in the femoral region than premenopausal women; they had a regional body composition similar to that of postmenopausal women. CONCLUSION: The present data indicate that in obese women, post menopause and perimenopause are associated with differences in fat and lean distribution, independently of age and total fat.

Absorptiometry, Photon↗
PubMed2006

First national epidemiological survey on the prevalence of obesity and abdominal fat distribution in Greek adults.

AIM: To provide estimates of the prevalence of obesity, overweight and body fat distribution among the adult population of Greece. DESIGN: Epidemiological, cross-sectional nationwide survey providing self-reported data. SUBJECTS: A total of 17,341 men and women aged from 20 to 70 years and classified into five 10-year age groups participated. The selection was conducted by stratified sampling through household family members of Greek children attending school. MEASUREMENTS: The participants reported data on weight, height, waist and hip circumference. BMI and waist-to-hip ratio were calculated. Abdominal obesity was defined as waist circumference > or = 102 cm in men and > or = 88 cm in women. RESULTS: In the total population, the mean BMI was 26.5 kg/m2, (27.3 in men, 25.7 in women). The overall prevalence of obesity was 22.5%, (26% in men, 18.2% in women) while that of overweight was 35.2% (41.1% in men, 29.9% in women). The percentages of obesity and overweight in men were similar in almost all age groups, while in women they progressively increased with age. Abdominal obesity was more frequent among women than men (35.8 vs. 26.6%, respectively), especially after the age of 50. CONCLUSIONS: Excess body weight is reaching epidemic proportions in Greece and obesity rates are among the highest, if not the highest, in Western society. The problem affects particularly men, and women after menopause. Interestingly, more women than men present with abdominal obesity. Preventive and treatment strategies are urgently needed to stop the obesity epidemic in this Mediterranean European country.

Abdominal Fat↗
PubMed2001

Alterations in body composition and fat distribution in growth hormone-deficient prepubertal children during growth hormone therapy.

Growth hormone (GH) deficiency in children results in increased body fat, reduced fat-free mass (FFM) including muscle (protein) and bone, and abdominal obesity. Thus, proper GH secretion likely has major developmental influences on later health risks including cardiovascular diseases and osteoporosis. However, the in vivo control of the development of the body composition and fat distribution by GH has not yet been accurately investigated using children with GH deficiency as a model. We determined the effect of GH therapy (GH replacement, n = 3; GH + physiologic cortisol and thyroxine replacement, n = 3) on body composition, the proportional composition of the FFM, and body fat distribution in GH-deficient prepubertal children compared with healthy control children (n = 6) not treated with GH. The GH-deficient and control children were initially matched for gender, bone age, and weight. As assessed by a 4-compartment model, GH therapy reduced percent body fat during the first 3 months of therapy but not thereafter. This change was primarily due to FFM, which increased 3-fold more in the GH-deficient group and accounted for 91.5% of the increase in body weight. Fat mass increased in the controls but was unchanged in the GH-deficient group. Therapy temporarily increased the proportional contribution of water to the FFM, decreased the proportion of mineral, and slightly increased the proportion of protein. Using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), abdominal visceral fat was reduced in the GH-deficient group and unchanged in the controls. Abdominal subcutaneous fat measured in the same image was not changed. The abdominal and suprailiac skinfold thicknesses also were not decreased in the GH-deficient group. In conclusion, within 1 to 3 months, GH therapy accelerates lean tissue accrual, especially the water and protein components, but has a smaller effect on reducing fat mass. GH therapy has site-specific effects on reducing abdominal adiposity.

Abdomen↗