title: Genetically determined prospect to become long-lived is associated with less abdominal fat and in particular less abdominal visceral fat in men.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  familial longevity is marked by an exceptionally healthy metabolic profile and low prevalence of cardiometabolic disease observed already at middle age. We aim to investigate whether regional body fat distribution, which has previously shown to be associated with cardiometabolic risk, is different in offspring of long-lived siblings compared with controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  our institutional review board approved the study, and all participants (n = 344, average age in years 65.6) gave written informed consent. Offspring (n = 175) of non-agenarian siblings were included. Their partners (n = 169) were enrolled as controls. For abdominal visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) measurements, a single-slice 8.0 mm computed tomography (CT) acquisition was planned at the level of the 5th lumbar vertebra. In addition, participants underwent prospectively electrocardiography-triggered unenhanced volumetric CT of the heart. Abdominal VAT and SAT areas (cm(2)) and epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) volumes (ml) were acquired by semi-automated segmentation techniques. Linear regression analysis was performed adjusting for cardiovascular risk factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  total abdominal fat areas were smaller in male offspring compared with controls (353.0 versus 382.9 cm(2), P = 0.022). The association between low abdominal VAT areas in male offspring (149.7 versus 167.0 cm(2) in controls, P = 0.043) attenuated after additional adjustment for diabetes (P = 0.078). Differences were not observed for females. EAT volumes were similar between offspring of long-lived siblings and controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  males who have genetically determined prospect to become long-lived have less abdominal fat and in particular less abdominal VAT compared with controls.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, C3-Q, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden 2333 ZA, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Michiel L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Sala
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, C3-Q, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden 2333 ZA, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Boudewijn
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Röell
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, C3-Q, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden 2333 ZA, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Noortje
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: van der Bijl
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, C3-Q, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden 2333 ZA, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jeroen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: van der Grond
authors.affiliation: Department of Gerontology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden 2333 ZA, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Anton J M
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: de Craen
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Epidemiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden 2333 ZA, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Eline P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Slagboom
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, C3-Q, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden 2333 ZA, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Rob
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: van der Geest
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, C3-Q, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden 2333 ZA, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: de Roos
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, C3-Q, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden 2333 ZA, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Lucia J M
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Kroft
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D050218:Body Fat Distribution; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D050152:Intra-Abdominal Fat / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008136:Longevity / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
keywords: cardiovascular risk; healthy ageing; longevity; obesity; older people; visceral fat