possible role of visceral adiposity in development of pro-atherogenic lipid profile in normal overweight young Egyptian female adults [a possible involvement of adiponectin and leptin]

ABSTRACT

The metabolic abnormalities that often co-exist with overweight and obesity appear to be mediated largely by visceral fat accumulation. Visceral fat is very different from the subcutaneous fat, and may be responsible for pro-atherogenic lipid profile in apparently healthy people. to examine the influence of visceral fat and "not obesity" on the lipid profile. In addition, to test the relation between adipocytokines [leptin and adiponectin] and lipid profile in overweight young healthy Egyptian adult females. Forty healthy young overweight females participated in this prospective cohort study, their age ranged from 19-23 Y, and their body mass index [BMI] ranged from 25-30 Kg/rn2. All the participants were completely healthy with no history of thyroid dysfunction; diabetes; or cardiovascular, renal, or liver dysfunction. No participant had taken medication for at least 3 months before the study, and none were dieting or smoking. The anthropometric measurements were made be the same observer in the physiology laboratory, Alexandria University, they induced height, weight, body mass index [BMI], waist, hip circumference and waist hip ratio [WHR]. Fasting venous blood was collected to measure adipocytokines [leptin and adiponectin] and lipid profile [total cholesterol [TC], total triglycerides [TG], high-density hpoprotein cholesterol HDL-C, low-density lip oprotein cholesterol [LDL-C] and the LDL-C/HDL-C ratio was calculated as the atherogenic index. Then the examined subjects were divided into two groups based on their Waist/hip ratio [WHR]. Group 1 [n 25 with WHR>0.8], and group2 [n=15 with WHR waist circumference and BMI while there were significant decrease in hip circumference, in addition to serum leptin and adiponectin in group 1 compared to group 2. The triglycerides, LDL-C, total cholesterol/HDL ratio and LDL-C/HDL-C ratio were significantly higher. In addition the HDL-C was significantly lower in group 1 compared to group 2. There was no significant difference between the two groups concerning the total cholesterol level. In group 1 triglycerides, LDL-C, HDL-C, total cholesterol,/HDL-C ratio, and LDL-C/HDL-C were significantly dependant variables on WHR, leptin and adiponectin as independent varibles. However, there was no statistically significant influence of BMI as independent variable on the lipid profile as dependent variable in this group. Visceral adiposity as tested by WHR was strong independent predictor for serum adiponectin and leptin in group 1 as a depenant variant [r=[2] 0.85, P=.000 for leptin and r=[2] 0.73, P=.000 for adiponectin]. our findings suggest that increased WHR and decreased concentration of plasma leptin and adiponectin may be early independent predictors of pro-atherogenic lipid profile regardless the BMI in young healthy Egyptian adults female. Such research may warrant an intervention study directed toward the reduction of visceral adiposity to attenuate the metabolic and cardiovascular risks optimally