Intra-abdominal adipose tissue deposition and parity.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the relationship between body composition/fat distribution and parity after adjusting for potential confounders: age, smoking, and physical activity. DESIGN: Cross-sectional. SUBJECTS: A total of 170 Caucasian women between the ages of 18 and 76 years, who were non-smokers with no cardiovascular disease, diabetes, metabolic, or endocrine disorders. MEASUREMENTS: Physical activity assessment (Baecke Physical Activity Questionnaire), anthropometric measures, and body composition (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, computed tomography). RESULTS: Although percent body fat was related to parity (r=0.26, P<0.01), after adjusting for age, physical activity index, and smoking, the parity-percent body fat relationship was no longer significant. Multiple regression analysis for modeling intra-abdominal adipose tissue demonstrated that parity and intra-abdominal adipose tissue were significantly related after adjusting for percent body fat, physical activity index, and smoking (partial r=0.18, P=0.02, unstandardized beta=5.22+/-2.26, intercept=-37.32+/-24.63). CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that intra-abdominal adipose tissue increases with increasing parity, even after adjusting for potential confounders: age, percent body fat, physical activity, and smoking.

Anthropometric equations for estimating abdominal adipose tissue distribution in women.

OBJECTIVES: (1) to develop multiple regression equations for predicting computed tomography (CT) derived intra-abdominal (IAF), subcutaneous (SCF) and total (TOTF = IAF + SCF) abdominal adipose tissue areas from anthropometric measures and (2) to validate the equations. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SUBJECTS: 204 healthy Caucasian females subjects with a large range of age (17-76 years) and percentage body fat (8.8%-48.1%). Fifty-one subjects served as an independent sub-sample for the validation of the equations. MEASUREMENTS: Various fatness and fat distribution parameters (hydrodensitometry, single CT scan, skinfold and circumference measures). RESULTS: Multiple regression equations were developed to estimate IAF, SCF and TOTF. R2 for IAF, SCF and TOTF was 0.75, 0.81 and 0.85, respectively. The equations were validated on an independent sub-sample of 51 subjects. All three equations met validation criteria with R2 validations of 0.79, 0.71 and 0.84 for IAF, SCF and TOTF, respectively. CONCLUSION: These equations might be used as an inexpensive estimation of IAF, SCF and TOTF in adult Caucasian females varying greatly in age and percentage body fat.

Intra-abdominal adipose tissue cut-points related to elevated cardiovascular risk in women.

Intra-abdominal adipose tissue (IAF) seems to be the primary fat depot putting individuals at risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD). The purpose of this study was to determine IAF cut-points for identifying CVD risk in pre- and post-menopausal women. Age ranged from 18 to 77 y and percentage fat ranged from 9 to 48%. Computed tomography (CT), IAF, DEXA determined regional fat and blood lipid profiles were obtained on 220 Caucasian women. Student's t-tests were run to determine differences between pre- and post-menopausal women. Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to develop IAF cut-points associated with elevated CVD risk. Post-menopausal women had higher percentage fat, greater proportion IAF and higher CVD risk. Menopausal status was not consistently independently related to CVD risk after adjusting for IAF, but IAF was after adjusting for menopausal status. The same cut-points for CVD risk were found with both 4- and 6-CVD risk factor analysis and for both pre- and post-menopausal as well as pooled data. 4-CVD risk factor analysis comprised cholesterol (C), HDL-C, systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure. 6-CVD risk factor analysis comprised the 4-CVD risk factors plus triglycerides and cholesterol : HDL-C ratio. ROC L positive values indicate levels of IAF above which metabolic disturbances will be increased and were determined to be 110 cm2. ROC L negative values indicate levels of IAF below which CVD risk will not be affected and were determined to be 40 cm2. False positives were 3% and false negatives were 9%. ANOVA comparing women with IAF cross-sections less than 40 cm2, between 40 and 110 cm2 and more than 110 cm2 demonstrate large differences in CVD risk profile. It is suggested women who have IAF values above 110 cm2 are in jeopardy of possessing elevated CVD risk.