Anatomical patterning of visceral adipose tissue: race, sex, and age variation.
OBJECTIVE
We tested sex, race, and age differences in the patterning of visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and subcutaneous adipose tissue.


METHODS
Contiguous 1-cm-thick magnetic resonance (MR) images of the abdomen were collected from 820 African-American and white adults. Repeated-measures ANOVA was used to examine the effects of image location, sex, race, and age (>or=50 vs. <50 years) on adipose tissue areas. Maximum VAT area was identified for each subject from the raw data.


RESULTS
Compared to women, men had greater total VAT volume (p < 0.0001), and their maximum VAT area occurred higher in the abdomen (p < 0.0001). Among white men, maximim VAT area most frequently occurred 5 to 10 cm above L4-L5, whereas in the other groups, maximim VAT area most frequently occurred 1 to 4 cm above L4-L5 (p < 0.0001). African-American men had greater total VAT volume than African-American women (p < 0.01), but this sex difference was only significant using single images cranial to L4-L5 + 2 cm. Age-related increases in VAT tended to be greatest 5 to 10 cm above L4-L5 in men and near L4-L5 in women.


CONCLUSIONS
A single MR image 5 to 10 cm above L4-L5 may allow more accurate conclusions than the L4-L5 image regarding group differences in visceral adiposity.
Demerath
Ellen W
EW
Division of Epidemiology & Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, 1300 South Second Street, Suite #300, Minneapolis, MN 55454-1015, USA. ewd@umn.edu
Sun
Shumei S
SS
Rogers
Nikki
N
Lee
Miryoung
M
Reed
Derek
D
Choh
Audrey C
AC
Couch
William
W
Czerwinski
Stefan A
SA
Chumlea
W Cameron
WC
Siervogel
Roger M
RM
Towne
Bradford
B
D050154:Adiposity / Q000208:ethnology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000208:ethnology*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001823:Body Composition; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D050152:Intra-Abdominal Fat; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D044465:White People