This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit a related Letter to the Editor Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Copyright Permission Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Rattarasarn, C. Articles by Thamprasit, A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Rattarasarn, C. Articles by Thamprasit, A.

Gender Differences of Regional Abdominal Fat Distribution and Their Relationships with Insulin Sensitivity in Healthy and Glucose-Intolerant Thais

Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, Prince of Songkhla University, Hadyai, Songkhla 90110 Thailand

Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: Chatchalit Rattarasarn, M.D., Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, Prince of Songkhla University, Hadyai, Songkhla 90110, Thailand. E-mail: rchatcha{at}medicine.psu.ac.th.

To determine gender differences of regional abdominal fat distribution and their relationships with insulin sensitivity in healthy and glucose-intolerant Thais, 44 subjects, 22 men and 22 body mass index-matched women, with normal and abnormal glucose tolerance, which included subjects with impaired glucose tolerance and diabetes, were studied. Total body fat and total abdominal fat (TAF) at L₁-L₄ were measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Regional abdominal fat, which consists of sc abdominal fat and visceral abdominal fat, was determined by single-slice computerized tomography of the abdomen at L₄-L₅ disc space level. Insulin sensitivity was determined by euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp and expressed as glucose infusion rate (GIR). With comparable body mass index, visceral abdominal fat was most strongly correlated with GIR after adjustment with percent total body fat in both healthy (r = –0.8155; P = 0.007) and glucose-intolerant women (r = –0.7597; P = 0.011), whereas TAF was most strongly correlated with GIR in both healthy (r = –0.8114; P = 0.008) and glucose-intolerant men (r = –0.6194; P = 0.101). By linear regression analysis, visceral abdominal fat accounted for 35.0% (ß = –3.53 x 10^–2; P = 0.001) of GIR variance in women, whereas TAF accounted for 39.3% (ß = –1.28 x 10^–4; P < 0.0001) of GIR variance in men. We conclude that there are gender differences in the relationships of regional abdominal fat and insulin sensitivity in slightly obese healthy and glucose-intolerant Thais, the difference of which may possibly be in part due to the difference of abdominal fat patterning between genders.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				L. Hoeg, C. Roepstorff, M. Thiele, E. A. Richter, J. F. P. Wojtaszewski, and B. Kiens Higher intramuscular triacylglycerol in women does not impair insulin sensitivity and proximal insulin signaling J Appl Physiol, September 1, 2009; 107(3): 824 - 831. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. E. Yeo, N. P. Hays, R. A. Dennis, P. M. Kortebein, D. H. Sullivan, W. J. Evans, and R. H. Coker Fat Distribution and Glucose Metabolism in Older, Obese Men and Women J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci., December 1, 2007; 62(12): 1393 - 1401. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. M Reaven The metabolic syndrome: is this diagnosis necessary? Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, June 1, 2006; 83(6): 1237 - 1247. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. Reaven All obese individuals are not created equal: insulin resistance is the major determinant of cardiovascular disease in overweight/obese individuals Diabetes and Vascular Disease Research, October 1, 2005; 2(3): 105 - 112. [Abstract] [PDF]

				D. S Kump and F. W Booth Sustained rise in triacylglycerol synthesis and increased epididymal fat mass when rats cease voluntary wheel running J. Physiol., June 15, 2005; 565(3): 911 - 925. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]