Nutrition & Metabolism (Mar 2022)

Association between MRI-based visceral adipose tissues and metabolic abnormality in a Chinese population: a cross-sectional study

  • Xuhui Zhang,
  • Qiannan Chen,
  • Xiaohui Sun,
  • Qiong Wu,
  • Zongxue Cheng,
  • Qingguo Lv,
  • Jiaqiang Zhou,
  • Yimin Zhu

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12986-022-00651-x
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 19, no. 1
pp. 1 – 8

Abstract

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Abstract Background Previous studies have indicated that the deposition of abdominal adipose tissue was associated with the abnormalities of cardiometabolic components. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship of visceral adipose tissue (VAT), subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) and metabolic status and the different effects between males and females. Methods The 1388 eligible subjects were recruited in a baseline survey of metabolic syndrome in China, from two communities in Hangzhou and Chengdu. Areas of abdominal VAT and SAT were measured by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Serum total triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) were measured by an automated biochemical analyzer. Metabolic abnormality (MA) was defined more than one abnormal metabolic components, which was based on the definition of metabolic syndrome (IDF 2005). Multiple logistic regression was used to calculate the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI). Predictive value was assessed by area under the curve (AUC), net reclassification improvement (NRI), and integrated discrimination improvement (IDI), respectively. Results Their mean age was 53.8 years (SD: 7.1 years), the mean body mass index (BMI) was 23.7 kg/m2, and 44.8% of the subjects were male. Both male and female with MA had higher VAT levels compared to subjects with normal metabolism (MN), and male had higher SAT levels than female (P 24 kg/m2. In male, VAT improved the predictive value of MA compared to BMI and waist circumference (WC), the AUC was 0.727 (95% CI = 0.687–0.767), the NRI was 0.139 (95% CI = 0.070–0.208) and 0.106 (95% CI = 0.038–0.173), and the IDI was 0.074 (95% CI = 0.053–0.095) and 0.046 (95% CI = 0.026–0.066). Similar results were found in female. Conclusions In male, VAT and SAT could increase the risk of metabolic abnormalities both at BMI 24 kg/m2. Deposition of abdominal adipose tissue was associated with metabolic abnormalities. VAT improved the predictive power of MA.

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