Relationship between visceral fat accumulation and physical fitness in Japanese women.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the link between visceral fat (V) accumulation and physical fitness.


METHODS
Cross-sectional clinical investigation study.


METHODS
Twenty-eight overweight Japanese women with abdominal obesity (abdominal obesity) (body mass index, BMI>or=25, visceral fat area>or=100 cm2) aged 38-65 years (BMI 29.5+/-3.3 kg/m2) were enrolled in this study. They were compared with age and sex matched 28 normal weight subjects (BMI<25, visceral fat area<100 cm2) and 28 overweight subjects without abdominal obesity (overweight) (BMI>or=25, visceral fat area<100 cm2).


METHODS
Fat distribution was evaluated by visceral fat and subcutaneous fat (S) areas measured by computed tomography (CT) scanning at umbilical level. Anthropometric parameters, aerobic exercise level, muscle strength, flexibility and blood examination were also investigated.


RESULTS
Anthropometric and body composition parameters were significantly higher in abdominal obesity subjects than those in normal weight subjects. BMI, waist circumference, waist hip ratio and visceral fat (V) area were also significantly higher than those in overweight subjects. Reduced oxygen uptake at ventilatory threshold (VT), lowering weight bearing index (WBI), and elevation of blood enzymes were noted in abdominal obesity subjects. There were significant relationships between oxygen uptake at VT and visceral fat area, and also between oxygen uptake at VT and WBI.


CONCLUSIONS
Reduced aerobic exercise level and WBI are characteristic and visceral fat may play an important role for the etiology in Japanese women with abdominal obesity.
Miyatake
Nobuyuki
N
Okayama Southern Institute of Health, 408-1 Hirata, Okayama 700-0952, Japan. center@okakenko.jp
Takanami
Sumiko
S
Kawasaki
Yuriko
Y
Fujii
Masafumi
M
D000005:Abdomen / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000503:physiopathology; D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015308:Anaerobic Threshold / Q000502:physiology; D044466:Asian People; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D001823:Body Composition; D015992:Body Mass Index; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology*; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D014527:Uric Acid / Q000097:blood; D014781:Viscera / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000503:physiopathology; D016474:Weight-Bearing / Q000502:physiology
D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D014280:Triglycerides; D014527:Uric Acid; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases