ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationship of different types of abdominal obesity to risk of metabolic syndrome (MS). METHODS: Visceral fat area (VA) and substantial fat area (SA) were assessed by CT in 846 patients, 470 males and 376 females, aged 55 +/- 12, who suffered from at least one cardiometabolic risk factor and divided into 4 groups according to their VA and waist circumference (WC): non-obesity, masked visceral fat obesity (VFO), pseudo-VFO, and VFO groups. Blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, fasting serum insulin, and lipid profile were also measured. The MS risks of different types of abdominal obesity were compared. RESULTS: The prevalence rate of masked VFO of males was 10.9% (51/470), significantly higher than that of female (4.8%, 18/376). The prevalence rate of MS of the male patients with masked VFO was 43.1%, significantly higher than that of those in non-obesity group (25.0%), and lower than those of the males in the pseudo-VFO group (78.7%) and in the VFO group (88.6%), whereas the MS prevalence rate of the males in the pseudo-VFO group was significantly higher than those in the non-obesity and masked VFO groups. On the other hand, the MS prevalence rate of the female patients with masked VFO was 33.3%, not significantly different from that of the female patients in the non-obesity group (31.2%), but significantly lower than those of the pseudo-VFO and VFO groups (78.7% and 90.9% respectively). The MS prevalence rate of the female pseudo-VFO patients was also significantly higher than those in the non-obesity and masked VFO groups. Logistic regression analysis showed that WC and VA were independent risk factors for MS [OR (95% CI) = 1.13 (1.10-1.17), 1.01 (1.01-1.02), respectively, P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Different types of abdominal obesity have important impacts on the risk of metabolic syndrome. Masked VFO, even though with normal WC, and pseudo-VFO have considerably higher cardiometabolic risks.
