Increased visceral fat and serum levels of triglyceride are associated with insulin resistance in Japanese metabolically obese, normal weight subjects with normal glucose tolerance.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between visceral adiposity or triglyceride (TG) metabolism and insulin resistance in metabolically obese, normal weight (MONW) Japanese individuals with normal glucose tolerance.


METHODS
We evaluated body fat areas, lipid profiles, and the glucose infusion rate (GIR) during a euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp study in 20 MONW subjects (BMI <25 kg/m(2)and visceral fat areas 100 cm(2)) with normal glucose tolerance. Body fat areas were measured by computed tomography scans. Control data were obtained from 20 normal subjects (BMI <25 kg/m(2) and visceral fat areas <100 cm(2)).


RESULTS
MONW subjects showed a significant increase in fasting serum levels of TG (P < 0.01) and a decrease in GIR (P < 0.01) compared with normal subjects. There were significant correlations between visceral fat areas (r = -0.563, P < 0.01) or serum levels of TG (r = -0.474, P < 0.05) and GIR in MONW subjects. Multiple regression analyses showed that visceral fat areas (F = 7.702, P < 0.02) and serum levels of TG (F = 7.114, P < 0.05) were significantly associated with GIR in all (MONW and normal) subjects.


CONCLUSIONS
Increased visceral fat and serum levels of TG are associated with insulin resistance in Japanese MONW subjects with normal glucose tolerance. Excess visceral fat and elevated TG levels may play important roles in the development of insulin resistance in Japanese MONW subjects with normal glucose tolerance.
Katsuki
Akira
A
Third Department of Internal Medicine, Mie University School of Medicine, Tsu, Japan.
Sumida
Yasuhiro
Y
Urakawa
Hideki
H
Gabazza
Esteban C
EC
Murashima
Shuichi
S
Maruyama
Noriko
N
Morioka
Kohei
K
Nakatani
Kaname
K
Yano
Yutaka
Y
Adachi
Yukihiko
Y
D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000473:pathology*; D000328:Adult; D001786:Blood Glucose; D001835:Body Weight; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity; D012044:Regression Analysis; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood*; D014781:Viscera
D001786:Blood Glucose; D014280:Triglycerides