title: Differential effect of gender on hepatic fat.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There are discrepant data on whether men or women have a higher risk for hepatic steatosis.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To examine the influence of gender on hepatic adiposity in teenagers and young adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  We measured subcutaneous abdominal fat (SAF), intra-abdominal fat (IAF) and hepatic tissue density (a surrogate measure of hepatic fat) using CT in 505 healthy teenagers and young adults (254 males, 251 females; ages 15-22.9 years).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, compared to men, women had higher values of SAF (P < 0.0001) but similar measures of IAF and liver tissue density (P = 0.09 and 0.92, respectively). However, when compared to overweight/obese men, overweight/obese women had strikingly similar IAF values (P = 0.85) but lower hepatic fat (P = 0.009). Multiple regression analyses indicated that, after adjusting for age and SAF, IAF independently predicted hepatic density in males (P < 0.0001) but not in females (P = 0.36). Hepatic fat increased with body mass in males from lean to overweight and obese (P < 0.0001) but not in females (P > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  When compared to overweight and obese young women, overweight and obese young men are at greater risk for hepatic steatosis, independent of IAF.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, MS 81, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, USC, Keck School of Medicine, 4650 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90027, USA. vgilsanz@chla.usc.edu
authors.forename: Vicente
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gilsanz
authors.forename: Sandra A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Neil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kaplowitz
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001823:Body Composition; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D050152:Intra-Abdominal Fat / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000473:pathology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D055815:Young Adult