Waist circumference and abdominal adipose tissue distribution: influence of age and sex.
BACKGROUND
The influence of age and sex on the distribution of abdominal adipose tissue for a given waist circumference (WC) is unclear.


OBJECTIVE
The objective was to investigate the influence of age and sex on total (TAAT), visceral (VAT), and abdominal subcutaneous (ASAT) adipose tissue for a given WC.


METHODS
Body composition was assessed by whole-body magnetic resonance imaging in 147 younger men (< 50 y), 83 older men, 171 younger (premenopausal) women, and 80 older (postmenopausal) women with a wide range (16-40; in kg/m(2)) of body mass indexes.


RESULTS
Within each sex, the regression lines between WC and TAAT were not significantly different (P > 0.1) between younger and older groups. Collapsed across age groups, women had more TAAT for a given WC than did men; however, this difference was significantly reduced with increasing WC (P < 0.05). Within each sex, regression lines derived for WC and ASAT were not significantly different between younger and older groups (P > 0.1). Collapsed across age groups, women had 1.8 kg more ASAT for a given WC (P < 0.05) than did men across the range of WCs. Within each sex, older men and women had a significantly greater increase in VAT for a given WC (P < 0.05) than did younger men and women. Furthermore, independent of age group, the slopes for WC and VAT were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in men than in women.


CONCLUSIONS
There are significant sex differences in TAAT, VAT, and ASAT for a given WC. Furthermore, the relation between WC and VAT is substantially influenced by age.
Kuk
Jennifer L
JL
School of Physical and Health Education and the Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Queen's University, Kingston, Canada.
Lee
SoJung
S
Heymsfield
Steven B
SB
Ross
Robert
R
D000005:Abdomen / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D001823:Body Composition / Q000502:physiology; D001824:Body Constitution / Q000502:physiology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D012737:Sex Factors; D014781:Viscera; D049629:Waist-Hip Ratio