Association of visceral fat with coronary risk factors in a population-based sample of postmenopausal women

Abstract

Objective: To investigate in a population-based random sample of postmenopausal women the adjusted association of visceral adipose tissue (VAT) with coronary risk factors.

Design: Cross-sectional population-based random sample study.

Subjects: Ninety-eight postmenopausal women (age 50-65 y).

Measurements: Visceral and subcutaneous fat areas by computer axial tomography, anthropometry, lipid profile, fasting glucose and insulin, diet, physical activity, smoking status and alcohol intake.

Results: Compared to women with low VAT, women with high VAT (>117.8 cm(2)) had a less favorable metabolic profile with significantly higher fasting glucose (120+/-50 vs 98+/-39), insulin (7.9+/-10 vs 5+/-8), triglycerides (172+/-69 vs 127+/-72), apolipoprotein B (119+/-24 vs 98+/-32) and significantly lower HDL-C (38+/-10 vs 46+/-14) values in the whole sample (n=98). A similar profile was found in women without diabetes and hypertension (n=39). In multiple regression models, VAT explained a portion of the variance of TG (6.2%) in the entire sample and of total cholesterol (12.4%), LDL-C (15.8%), triglycerides (16.3%), apolipoprotein B (11.6%), and fasting glucose (28.4%) in the group of non-diabetic or hypertensive women. Our VAT cut-off point of 117.8 cm(2) corresponded to a waist circumference of 84 cm.

Conclusion: Our results in a random population-based sample of postmenopausal women confirm the association of VAT with most coronary risk factors. These associations persisted after adjusting for diet, physical activity, smoking status and alcohol intake.