title: The link between abdominal obesity and the metabolic syndrome.
abstract: The clustering of cardiovascular risk factors associated with abdominal obesity is well established. Although currently lacking a universal definition, the metabolic syndrome describes a constellation of metabolic abnormalities, including abdominal obesity, and was originally introduced to characterize a population at high cardiovascular risk. Adipose tissue is a dynamic endocrine organ that secretes several inflammatory and immune mediators known as adipokines. Dysregulation of adipokine secretion, free fatty acid toxicity, and the site-specific differences in abdominal (visceral) versus subcutaneous fat support abdominal obesity as a causal factor mediating the insulin resistance, increased risk of diabetes, and cardiovascular disease in the metabolic syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Diamantina Institute for Cancer, Immunology, and Metabolic Medicine, University of Queensland, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Ipswich Road, Woolloongabba 4102, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Liza K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Phillips
authors.forename: Johannes B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Prins
mesh_terms: D054392:Adipokines / Q000378:metabolism; D052242:Adiponectin / Q000378:metabolism; D050154:Adiposity; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D050152:Intra-Abdominal Fat / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D020738:Leptin / Q000378:metabolism; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012084:Renin-Angiotensin System; D012307:Risk Factors; D050507:Subcutaneous Fat, Abdominal / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D054392:Adipokines; D052242:Adiponectin; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified; D020738:Leptin