title: Visceral adipose tissue measured by DXA correlates with measurement by CT and is associated with cardiometabolic risk factors in children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Visceral adipose tissue (VAT) generally demonstrates a stronger relationship with cardiometabolic risk factors than total body fat or subcutaneous adipose tissue.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to compare VAT estimated in children by total volume dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) with a gold standard measurement, single slice (L4-L5) computed tomography (CT).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 329 (152 females, 177 males) children ages 6-18 years (mean age 12.3 ± 3.6) and with average body mass index percentile of 54.9% (3-99%) had their VAT estimated by both CT and DXA. Linear association between methods was measured using Pearson's correlation. Multiple linear regressions compared the associations between cardiometabolic risk factors and both CT-VAT and DXA-VAT, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In children, DXA-VAT was correlated significantly with CT-VAT, with a stronger relationship in overweight and obese children. Multiple regression analysis showed that both estimates of VAT were significantly associated with lipids and insulin sensitivity, measured by euglycaemic-hyperinsulinaemic clamp. Additionally, DXA-VAT was associated with diastolic blood pressure, homeostasis model of insulin resistance and fasting insulin, but CT-VAT was not.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In children, total volume DXA-VAT and single slice CT-VAT are significantly correlated and each demonstrates similar associations with cardiometabolic risk factors. This suggests that DXA is a useful and valid method for estimation of VAT in children.
authors.affiliation: School of Kinesiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Bosch
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Dengel
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Kelly
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Sinaiko
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moran
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Steinberger
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000293:Adolescent; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005215:Fasting; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D050152:Intra-Abdominal Fat / Q000473:pathology*; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications* / Q000378:metabolism; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D007328:Insulin
keywords: Body composition; insulin resistance; obesity; pediatrics