Susceptibility to development of central adiposity among populations.

There is good evidence that central (visceral) adiposity is important in the development of the insulin resistance or metabolic syndrome (obesity, hyperinsulinemia, dyslipidemia, glucose intolerance, hypertension, and coronary heart disease). It is proposed that some non-Caucasian populations are especially susceptible to development of this syndrome, and that lifestyle changes may play important etiologic roles. We postulate that this is due to the presence in these populations of a genetic predisposition to weight gain, perhaps related to a "thrifty" genotype, leading to the concentration of weight gain in visceral fat depots, when there is exposure to conditions associated with westernization.