Associations of the Limb Fat to Trunk Fat Ratio With Markers of Cardiometabolic Risk in Elderly Men and Women

• Published in: The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences Biological sciences and medical sciences, 2009-10, Vol.64A (10), p.1066-1070
• Main Authors: Saunders, Travis J., Davidson, Lance E., Janiszewski, Peter M., Després, Jean-Pierre, Hudson, Robert, Ross, Robert
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Abdominal Fat; Adiponectin - blood; Adiposity; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Biomarkers; Biomarkers - blood; Blood Glucose - metabolism; Body fat; Cardiovascular disease; Cholesterol, HDL - blood; Female; Humans; Insulin Resistance - physiology; Leg; Male; Men; Metabolic Syndrome - blood; Metabolic Syndrome - etiology; Middle Aged; Obesity - blood; Obesity - complications; Obesity - pathology; Older people; Risk Factors; Subcutaneous Fat; Triglycerides - blood; Women
• ISSN: 1079-5006; 1758-535X
• DOI: 10.1093/gerona/glp079

Background The ratio of limb fat to trunk fat (LF/TF) is associated with markers of cardiometabolic risk in elderly men and women. It is unknown if LF/TF is associated with cardiometabolic risk beyond that explained by LF and TF independently. Methods Participants included abdominally obese men (n = 58) and women (n = 78) between 60 and 80 years of age. Regional adiposity was quantified using magnetic resonance imaging. Insulin resistance, fasting glucose, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, plasma triglycerides, and adiponectin were determined using standard procedures. Results After control for potential confounders, TF was positively associated with fasting glucose, insulin resistance, and plasma triglycerides and negatively associated with HDL cholesterol and adiponectin (p ≤ .05). These associations were strengthened after further control for LF (p < .05), with the exception of adiponectin in men (p > .05). After control for potential confounders, LF was negatively associated with adiponectin in men (p < .05) but not with any other marker of cardiometabolic risk (p > .05). After further control for TF, LF was negatively associated with plasma triglycerides and positively associated with HDL cholesterol in both genders combined (p < .05) and with adiponectin in women (p < .05) but not in men (p > .05). LF/TF was not associated with any marker of cardiometabolic risk after control for LF and TF. Conclusion These results suggest that it is the absolute, rather than relative, amounts of LF and TF that have the greatest influence on cardiometabolic risk in elderly men and women.