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Subcutaneous Rather than Visceral Adipose Tissue Is Associated with Adiponectin Levels and Insulin Resistance in Young Men

Department of Endocrinology (L.F., T.L.N., K.W., C.H., K.B., M.A.), Odense University Hospital, and Institute of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, DK-5000 Odense C, Denmark; and The Medical Research Laboratories (J.F., A.F.), Clinical Institute and Medical Department M (Diabetes and Endocrinology), Aarhus University Hospital, DK-8000, Aarhus C, Denmark

Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: Louise Frederiksen, Department of Endocrinology, Odense University Hospital, Søndre Boulevard 29, DK-5000 Odense C, Denmark. E-mail: louise.frederiksen{at}ouh.regionsyddanmark.dk.

Introduction: Studies on the association between adiponectin, body composition, and insulin resistance (IR) have been conflicting.

Aim: Our aim was to evaluate the impact of body composition on adiponectin and IR determined by homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) in a population-based study on relatively healthy young men, minimizing the possible effects of age, obesity, and severe comorbidity.

Design, Methods, and Subjects: A population-based, cross-sectional study of 783 men aged 20–29 yr, randomly drawn from the Danish Central Personal Registry. Adiponectin was assessed using an in-house assay, and IR was determined using HOMA. Central fat mass (CFM) and lower extremity fat mass (LEFM) was measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, and visceral adipose tissue (VAT), sc adipose tissue (SAT), and thigh fat area (TFA) were assessed by magnetic resonance imaging.

Results: Using multiple linear regression analysis, adiponectin correlated negatively with CFM (r = –0.27; P < 0.001) and SAT (r = –0.20; P < 0.001) and positively with LEFM (r = 0.19; P < 0.001) and TFA (r = 0.18; P < 0.001), whereas VAT did not associate significantly. In multiple linear regression analysis, HOMA-IR (dependent variable), correlated significantly with CFM (r = 0.27; P < 0.001) and SAT (r = 0.15; P < 0.001), whereas LEFM, VAT, or TFA did not correlate. Adiponectin was an independent predictor of HOMA-IR in both analyses (r = –0.14; P < 0.001).

Conclusion: SAT rather than VAT was inversely associated with adiponectin levels, and, interestingly, fat on the lower extremities was positively associated with adiponectin. Focusing on insulin resistance, SAT rather than VAT and TFA independently predicted a higher HOMA-IR. The observation that adiponectin was independently associated with lower HOMA-IR must be repeated in other populations.