OBJECTIVE: We tested sex, race, and age differences in the patterning of visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and subcutaneous adipose tissue. RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES: Contiguous 1-cm-thick magnetic resonance (MR) images of the abdomen were collected from 820 African-American and white adults. Repeated-measures ANOVA was used to examine the effects of image location, sex, race, and age (>or=50 vs. <50 years) on adipose tissue areas. Maximum VAT area was identified for each subject from the raw data. RESULTS: Compared to women, men had greater total VAT volume (p < 0.0001), and their maximum VAT area occurred higher in the abdomen (p < 0.0001). Among white men, maximim VAT area most frequently occurred 5 to 10 cm above L4-L5, whereas in the other groups, maximim VAT area most frequently occurred 1 to 4 cm above L4-L5 (p < 0.0001). African-American men had greater total VAT volume than African-American women (p < 0.01), but this sex difference was only significant using single images cranial to L4-L5 + 2 cm. Age-related increases in VAT tended to be greatest 5 to 10 cm above L4-L5 in men and near L4-L5 in women. DISCUSSION: A single MR image 5 to 10 cm above L4-L5 may allow more accurate conclusions than the L4-L5 image regarding group differences in visceral adiposity.
OBJECTIVE: We tested sex, race, and age differences in the patterning of visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and subcutaneous adipose tissue. RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES: Contiguous 1-cm-thick magnetic resonance (MR) images of the abdomen were collected from 820 African-American and white adults. Repeated-measures ANOVA was used to examine the effects of image location, sex, race, and age (>or=50 vs. <50 years) on adipose tissue areas. Maximum VAT area was identified for each subject from the raw data. RESULTS: Compared to women, men had greater total VAT volume (p < 0.0001), and their maximum VAT area occurred higher in the abdomen (p < 0.0001). Among white men, maximim VAT area most frequently occurred 5 to 10 cm above L4-L5, whereas in the other groups, maximim VAT area most frequently occurred 1 to 4 cm above L4-L5 (p < 0.0001). African-American men had greater total VAT volume than African-American women (p < 0.01), but this sex difference was only significant using single images cranial to L4-L5 + 2 cm. Age-related increases in VAT tended to be greatest 5 to 10 cm above L4-L5 in men and near L4-L5 in women. DISCUSSION: A single MR image 5 to 10 cm above L4-L5 may allow more accurate conclusions than the L4-L5 image regarding group differences in visceral adiposity.
Authors: J P Després; C Couillard; J Gagnon; J Bergeron; A S Leon; D C Rao; J S Skinner; J H Wilmore; C Bouchard Journal: Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol Date: 2000-08 Impact factor: 8.311
Authors: J A Kanaley; C Sames; L Swisher; A G Swick; L L Ploutz-Snyder; C M Steppan; K S Sagendorf; D Feiglin; E B Jaynes; R A Meyer; R S Weinstock Journal: Metabolism Date: 2001-08 Impact factor: 8.694
Authors: Ellen W Demerath; Derek Reed; Nikki Rogers; Shumei S Sun; Miryoung Lee; Audrey C Choh; William Couch; Stefan A Czerwinski; W Cameron Chumlea; Roger M Siervogel; Bradford Towne Journal: Am J Clin Nutr Date: 2008-11 Impact factor: 7.045