Relationship between body fat distribution and atherosclerotic risk factors in Korean populations

Yun, Jung Won; Lee, Won Young; Kim, Ji Youn; Park, Hyun Duk; Lim, Seong Ho; Jung, Chan Hee; Kim, Young Chun; Kim, Sun Woo

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Obesity is an independent risk factor for the development of coronary artery disease and associated with insulin resistance, hyperlipidemia and hypertension. In many studies, visceral adipose tissue is highly correlated with adverse coronary risk profile. Left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy also is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular mortality and morbidity. However, few data are available concerning the relations of LV hypertrophy to body fat composition, especially in Korean subjects. Therefore, this study was intended to evaluate the relation between body fat distribution and atherosclerotic risk factors including metabolic parameters and LV mass.
METHODS
Total 138 subjects who visited the healthy promotion center in Kangbuk Samsung hospital (97 men, 41 women) were to recruited to the study. Body fat distribution was assessed by Abdomial CT (computer tomography) and Bioelectrical impedance analysis (Body Composition Analyzer Inbody 2.0, Biospace, Seoul, Korea)
RESULTS
Visceral adipose tissue volume was higher in male subjects while subcutaneous adipose tissue volume and % body fat were higher in female subjects (p<0.05). Serum triglyceride and uric acid level were elevated in male subjects but HDL-cholesterol level was elevated in female subjects (p0.05). Increasing age was correlated with waist-hip ratio, visceral adipose tissue volume, abdominal fat/total body fat ratio, LV mass (p0.05). Visceral adipose tissue volume was positively correlated with body mass index, waist-hip ratio, blood pressure, total cholesterol, triglyceride, uric acid and negatively correlated with HDL-cholesterol (p0.05). After adjustment for age and sex, this correlation was significantly remained. LV mass was positively correlated with body mass index, waist-hip ratio, visceral adipose tissue volume, abdominal fat/total body fat ratio (p0.05). In the multiple regression analysis, the independent predictor for LV mass was visceral adipose tissue volume (beta=0.252, p0.05).
CONCLUSION
Body fat distribution is associated with traditional cardiovascular risk factors. Especially, visceral adipose tissue is correlated with the components of metabolic syndrome and LV mass which is independent risk factor of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.