Association between visceral/subcutaneous adipose tissue ratio and plasma inflammatory markers and score for cardiovascular risk prediction in a Brazilian cohort: Pró-Saúde Study

Visceral adipose tissue (VAT) is associated with various metabolic disorders, and adipokines, secreted by adipose tissue, are involved in their pathogenesis. This study investigated associations between VAT/subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) ratio, inflammatory markers, and cardiovascular (CV) risk-score in adults. Plasma levels of adipokines, plasma lipid profile, blood pressure, and body composition (using dual-emission x-ray absorptiometry) were determined. CV risk-score based on the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) score was calculated in a sample of 309 Brazilian civil servants aged <60 years. Participants' VAT/SAT ratio were categorized into quartiles. Among males, plasma leptin (2.8 ng/mL) and C reactive protein (CRP) (0.2 mg/dL) (P<0.05) levels were higher at P75 and P50 than P5, and the highest calculated CV risk-score was observed at P75 (7.1%). Among females, higher plasma adiponectin levels were observed at P25 (54.3 ng/mL) compared with P75 (36 ng/mL) (P<0.05). Higher plasma CRP levels were observed at P75 (0.4 mg/dL) compared with P5 (0.1 mg/dL) (P<0.05). Higher CV risk-score was observed at P75 (2.0%) compared with P5 (0.7%). In both sexes, VAT and VAT/SAT ratio were directly associated with plasma leptin, CRP, and CV risk-score, and inversely associated with adiponectin; SAT was directly associated with plasma leptin and CRP (P<0.01); interleukin (IL)-10 and CRP were directly associated with adiponectin and leptin, respectively (P<0.05). Among men only, IL-10 (inversely) and CRP (directly) were associated with CV risk-score (P=0.02). Our results strengthened the relevance of the VAT/SAT ratio in cardiovascular risk.

The Effect of Maté Extract on Body Weight and Fat Reduction in Obese Women: A Randomized Placebo-controlled Clinical Trial

BACKGROUND: This study was performed to investigate the effects of Maté extract on body weight and fat content in obese women [25.0 kg/m² ≤body mass index (BMI) <30 kg/m²] aged 20-65 years after 6 weeks of its administration. METHODS: The randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted in 33 women. Participants took the supplement, either 2 Maté tablets or 2 placebo tablets, twice daily before meals for 6 weeks. Body weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and various safety parameters were monitored. Body composition was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry at baseline and after 6 weeks.

Agregação familiar na adiposidade do tronco: um estudo em famílias nucleares portuguesas / Familial aggregation on trunkal fat: a study with Portuguese families

Este estudo teve como objetivos: 1) identificar a presença indireta de transmissão vertical de fatores genéticos entre progenitores e descendentes em dois fenótipos da adiposidade do tronco (AT); 2) estimar a contribuição dos fatores genéticos e ambientais responsáveis pela variabilidade fenotípica da adiposidade do tronco relativa (ATrel) e absoluta (ATabs) em termos populacionais. A amostra foi constituída por 422 indivíduos pertencentes a 107 famílias nucleares portuguesas. Os fenótipos da AT foram avaliados com um aparelho de BIA da marca Tanita® modelo BC- 418MA. A estrutura familiar e a análise do comportamento genérico das variáveis entre diferentes membros familiares foram realizadas no "software" PEDSTATS. Para calcular a correlação entre familiares foi utilizado o módulo FCOR do "software" de Epidemiologia Genética S.A.G.E 5.3. As estimativas de heritabilidade (h²) foram realizadas através do método de verossimilhança implementado no "software" SOLAR. Os valores dos coeficientes de correlação entre os diferentes graus de parentesco foram baixos a moderados para ATrel (0,205 < r < 0,738) e ATabs (0,199 < r < 0,782). Os fatores genéticos explicaram 50 e 47 por cento da variação dos fenótipos da ATrel e ATabs, respectivamente. Esses resultados: 1) indicam uma forte agregação familiar na AT de famílias nucleares portuguesas; 2) contribuem para estudos avançados de Epidemiologia Genética e 3) ressaltam a necessidade da implementação de intervenções físicas e nutricionais direcionadas a toda família.

The aims of this study was to 1) identify the presence of indirect transmission of genetic factors between parents and children in two phenotypes of trunk fat, and 2) estimate the contribution of genetic and environmental factors responsible for phenotypic variation on relative trunk fat and absolute trunk fat. The sample consisted of 422 individuals from 107 Portuguese nuclear families. Trunk fat phenotypes were measured with a bioelectric impedance device Tanita ® model BC-418MA. Family structure and analysis of the generic behavior of the variables between different family members were verified in PEDSTATS software. Familiar correlations were computed in the FCOR module of SAGE 5.3 software. Heritability estimates (h²) were performed using the likelihood method implemented in SOLAR software. Correlation coefficients between relatives were low to moderate on relative trunk fat (0.205 < r < 0.738) and absolute trunk fat (0.199 < r < 0.782). Genetic factors explained 50 and 47 percent of the variation in phenotypes of relative and absolute trunk fat, respectively. These results 1) indicate a strong familial aggregation on trunk fat of Portuguese nuclear families, 2) contribute to advanced studies in Genetic Epidemiology 3) and emphasize the need for physical and nutritional interventions directed to all family members.

Relationship of body fat distribution with serum lipid and its role in predicting dyslipidemia / 中华临床营养杂志

ObjectiveTo explore the relationship of body fat distribution with serum lipid and its potentially predictive value for dyslipidemia.MethodsA total of 784 Beijing rural residents were enrolled in this study using a cluster sampling method.The body height,weight,waist circumference (WC),hip circumference,body composition,high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ( HDL-C ),low-density lipoprotein cholesterol ( LDL-C),total cholesterol ( TC),and triglycerides (TG) were measured.The body mass index (BMI) and waist to hip ratio (WHR) were calculated.ResultsThe age-adjusted partial correlation analysis showed that WC had the best correlation with HDL-C ( r =- 0.310) and LDL-C ( r =0.204 ),while WHR with TC ( r =0.151 ) and TG ( r =0.271 ).Subgroup analysis with different BMI,WC,WHR,and trunk fat mass (TFM) showed that WC,WHR,and TFM sensitively reflected the changes of body lipids,whereas BMI,WC,WHR,and TFM sensitively reflected the low HDL,high TG,and risk of dyslipidemia.Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that the predictive curves of WC,WHR,BMI,and TFM were above the reference line,and the areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves of WHR (0.684,0.630),WC (0.667,0.616),and TFM (0.661,0.604) showed high tendencies than BMI (0.629,0.597) for both male and female subjects,although no statistically significant differences were found ( all P ＞ 0.05 ).ConclusionsCompared with BMI,the body fat distribution indicators including WHR,WC,and TFM have higher predictive values in evaluating the risk of dyslipidemia.When the maximum Youden index for predicting the risk of dyslipidemia is applied,the ideal cutoff points was 24 kg/m2 for BMI,0.91 for WHR,85cm for WC,7.5kg for TFM in males,and 25 kg/m2,0.91,87cm,and 9.5 kg,respectively,in females.