title: Racial differences in adiponectin in youth: relationship to visceral fat and insulin sensitivity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to investigate 1) whether adiponectin is associated with insulin sensitivity independent of visceral adipose tissue in African-American and Caucasian youth and 2) whether adiponectin is associated with racial differences in insulin sensitivity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Total body fat was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and abdominal adipose tissue with computed tomography. Insulin sensitivity was measured by a 3-h hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Adiponectin was inversely associated (P < 0.01) with visceral adipose tissue, fasting insulin, and proinsulin and was positively related (P < 0.01) to insulin sensitivity after controlling for Tanner stage and sex independent of race. Stepwise multiple regression revealed that adiponectin was a strong independent predictor of insulin sensitivity, explaining 27% of the variance in insulin sensitivity. When subjects were categorized into tertiles of visceral adipose tissue and further low (< or = 50th) and high (>50th) adiponectin groups, insulin sensitivity was significantly different across the visceral adipose tissue groups (main effect, P < 0.01) in both races. However, within each visceral adipose tissue group, subjects with high adiponectin had higher insulin sensitivity (main effect, P < 0.05) than subjects with low adiponectin, independent of race. Racial differences in insulin sensitivity remained significant (P < 0.01) after controlling for leptin and visceral adipose tissue but not (P > 0.05) after additional adjustment for adiponectin.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Adiponectin is associated with insulin sensitivity independent of visceral adipose tissue in both African-American and Caucasian youth. Low adiponectin in African-American youth may be a biological marker that predisposes them to a greater risk of insulin resistance.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes Mellitus, Weight Management and Wellness Center, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, 3705 Fifth Avenue at DeSoto St., Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, USA.
authors.forename: SoJung
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Fida
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bacha
authors.forename: Neslihan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gungor
authors.forename: Silva A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Arslanian
mesh_terms: D052242:Adiponectin / Q000097:blood*; D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D000293:Adolescent; D044383:Black People; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D015309:Glucose Clamp Technique; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D007328:Insulin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood; D044469:Racial Groups; D012044:Regression Analysis; D014481:United States; D014781:Viscera; D044465:White People; D001741:Black or African American
chemical_list: D052242:Adiponectin; D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin; D020738:Leptin