Lipoprotein metabolism, insulin resistance, and adipocytokine levels in Japanese female adolescents with a normal body mass index and high body fat mass.
BACKGROUND
The prevalence of obesity is gradually increasing in Japan, but in women aged in their 20 s to 50 s it has been disproportionately decreasing. However, the exact body composition of this subset of the population has not been elucidated.


RESULTS
Body composition was determined using whole-body dual energy X-ray absorptiometry and metabolic parameters in 157 Japanese female university students (21.1+/-1.9 years); 31 women had a normal body mass index (BMI), but an increased body fat mass (BFM). Only the 31 had significantly higher low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels (90.5 vs 99.0 mg/dl, P<0.01) and leptin concentration (7.0 vs 4.6 ng/ml, P<0.05) and lower high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (80.4+/-15.1 vs 73.5+/-14.5 mg/dl, P<0.01) than females with normal BMI and normal BFM.


CONCLUSIONS
A considerable number of young Japanese women with a normal BMI have excess BFM and relatively higher lipid and leptin levels. These findings may provide an important basis for future epidemiological surveys and studies.
Kishimoto
Noriaki
N
Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, Kita 15, Nishi 7, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-8638, Japan. noriaki-kishimoto@hokkaido.med.or.jp
Okita
Koichi
K
Takada
Shingo
S
Sakuma
Ichiro
I
Saijo
Yasuaki
Y
Chiba
Hitoshi
H
Ishii
Kojiro
K
Kishi
Reiko
R
Tsutsui
Hiroyuki
H
D000273:Adipose Tissue; D000293:Adolescent; D044466:Asian People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001823:Body Composition; D015992:Body Mass Index; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood*; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000097:blood*; D009765:Obesity / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D055815:Young Adult
D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D020738:Leptin; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL