Differences in the relative contributions of body fat content and distribution to individual components of the metabolic syndrome
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This study was conducted to better define the relative contributions of body fat distribution and amount of body fat to the individual metabolic syndrome components. In a representative sample of 2587 black, white, and Hispanic men and women from the Dallas Heart Study (DHS), dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry was used to measure the relative amounts of total body fat, truncal fat, and lower body fat. Body fat distribution had the greatest impact on plasma triglycerides in all subjects and on HDL cholesterol levels in women only. Furthermore, fat distribution had an intermediate effect on insulin sensitivity (expressed as HOMA-IR) and blood pressure. By contrast, plasma CRP and leptin levels were much more sensitive to body fat content than to fat distribution, leptin levels being almost exclusively determined by body fat content. The major relationship patterns between these variables were similar among the different ethnic groups. In conclusion, both body fat content and distribution independently contribute to levels of metabolic risk factors, although the relative contributions of each variable to individual risk factors appear to differ.
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