title: Effect of Gender on the Total Abdominal Fat, Intra-Abdominal Adipose Tissue and Abdominal Sub-Cutaneous Adipose Tissue among Indian Hypertensive Patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Abdominal obesity is a better marker of adverse metabolic profile than generalized obesity in hypertensive subjects. Further, gender has effect on adiposity and its distribution.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Effect of gender on obesity and the distribution of fat in different sub-compartments of abdomen among Indian hypertensive subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  This observational study included 278 adult subjects (Males-149 & Females-129) with essential hypertension from a tertiary care centre in north India over one year. A detailed history taking and physical examination including anthropometry were performed in all patients. Total Abdominal Fat (TAF) and abdominal adipose tissue sub-compartments like Intra-Abdominal Adipose Tissue (IAAT) and Sub-Cutaneous Adipose Tissue (SCAT) were measured using the predictive equations developed for Asian Indians.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Female hypertensive subjects had higher Body Mass Index (BMI) with more overweight (BMI ≥ 23kg/m(2)), and obesity (BMI≥ 25 kg/m(2)). Additionally, they had higher prevalence of central obesity based on both Waist Circumference (WC) criteria (WC≥ 90 cm in males and WC≥ 80 cm in females) and TAF criteria {≥245.6 cm(2) (males) and ≥203.46 cm(2) (females)} than male patients. But there was no difference in the prevalence of central obesity based on Waist Hip Ratio (WHR) criteria (WHR ≥0.90 in males and WHR ≥ 0.85 in females) between two genders. High TAF & IAAT were present in more females although there was no difference in the distribution of high SCAT between two genders.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Female hypertensive subjects were more obese with higher abnormal TAF & IAAT compared to male patients. However, there was no difference in the distribution of high SCAT among them.
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Department of Endocrinology & Metabolism, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER) , Puducherry, India .
authors.forename: Jaya Prakash
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Sahoo
authors.affiliation: Professor, Department of Medicine, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) , Chandigarh, India .
authors.forename: Savita
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kumari
authors.affiliation: Professor, Department of Medicine, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) , Chandigarh, India .
authors.forename: Sanjay
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jain
keywords: Body mass index; Fat distribution; Waist circumference