Both subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue correlate highly with insulin resistance in african americans.
OBJECTIVE
The contribution of visceral adipose tissue (VAT) to insulin resistance is well-established; however, the role of subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue (SAT) in insulin resistance remains controversial. Sex may determine which of these two components of abdominal obesity is more strongly related to insulin resistance and its consequences. The aim of this study was to determine whether both VAT and SAT contribute to insulin resistance in African Americans and to examine the effects of sex on this relationship.


METHODS
This was a cross-sectional study of 78 nondiabetic African-American volunteers (44 men, 35 women; age 33.8 +/- 7.3 years; BMI 30.9 +/- 7.4 kg/m2). VAT and SAT volumes were measured using serial computerized tomography slices from the dome of the diaphragm to the iliac crest. The insulin sensitivity index (SI) was determined from the minimal model using data obtained from the frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test.


RESULTS
In men, both VAT and SAT were negatively correlated with SI (r for both correlations = -0.57; p < 0.01). In women, the correlation coefficient between VAT and SI was -0.50 (p < 0.01) and between SAT and SI was -0.67 (p < 0.01). In women, the correlation coefficient for SI with SAT was significantly greater than the correlation coefficient with VAT (p = 0.02).


CONCLUSIONS
Both SAT and VAT are strongly correlated with insulin resistance in African Americans. For African-American women, SAT may have a greater effect than VAT on insulin resistance.
Tulloch-Reid
Marshall K
MK
Diabetes and Arthritis Epidemiology Section, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Pheonix, AZ, USA.
Hanson
Robert L
RL
Sebring
Nancy G
NG
Reynolds
James C
JC
Premkumar
Ahalya
A
Genovese
David J
DJ
Sumner
Anne E
AE
D000273:Adipose Tissue; D000328:Adult; D044383:Black People; D001823:Body Composition; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D018149:Glucose Intolerance / Q000453:epidemiology; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D040521:Subcutaneous Tissue; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014781:Viscera; D001741:Black or African American