Solid State 13C-NMR Analysis of Cell Wall Components of Fusarium oxysporum

An abdominal fat accumulation complicated by high blood triglycerides is regarded as a risk factor of metabolic syndrome. Feeding powdered nacre, mother of pearl, from Pinctada maxima, resulted in reduced body weight, visceral fat amount, and blood triglyceride level without influencing the food intake, body length, or amount of muscular tissue, suggesting that nacre powder specifically could decrease visceral fat.     

Visceral adiposity is associated with serum retinol binding protein-4 levels in healthy women

Objective: Retinol binding protein‐4 (RBP4) has been reported to impair insulin sensitivity throughout the body. We investigated the relationship between serum RBP4 levels and adiposity indices as well as metabolic risk variables. Research Methods and Procedure: We recruited a total of 102 healthy women 21 to 67 years old. We assessed body composition by computed tomography and divided the study population into four groups based on body weight and visceral fat area (non‐obese without visceral adiposity, non‐obese with visceral adiposity, obese without visceral adiposity, and obese with visceral adiposity). Serum RBP4 levels were measured by radioimmunoassay. Results: Despite similar levels of total body fat, non‐obese women had lower systolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, triglyceride (TG), low‐density lipoprotein (LDL)‐cholesterol levels, insulin resistance indices, and RBP4 levels than non‐obese women with visceral adiposity and had higher high‐density lipoprotein‐cholesterol levels. Similarly, obese women without visceral adiposity had lower blood pressure, total cholesterol, TG levels, insulin resistance indices, and RBP4 levels than obese women with visceral adiposity. In addition, despite having increased body fat, obese women without visceral adiposity had lower TGs, insulin resistance indices, and serum RBP4 levels than non‐obese women with visceral adiposity. By step‐wise multiple regression analysis, visceral fat areas and LDL‐cholesterol levels independently affected RBP4 levels. Discussion: We determined that serum RBP4 levels are independently associated with visceral fat and LDL‐cholesterol levels. These results suggest that, irrespective of body weight, visceral obesity is an independent predictor of serum RBP4 levels, and RBP4 may represent a link between visceral obesity and cardiovascular disease.     

布朗族成人的身体成分分析

本文采用生物阻抗分析法,研究了布朗族成人的体成分特点。我们在云南省测量了604例（男性248例,女性356例）布朗族成人19项身体成分指标,运用Excel 2003、Spss 19.0对其各项指标进行统计分析。结果显示,男性全身脂肪分布特征为躯干和下肢的脂肪率都大于上肢脂肪率,女性脂肪率从大到小依次为下肢、躯干、上肢;男、女性双侧下肢脂肪率和肌肉量接近,左上肢肌肉量低、脂肪率高;布朗族男性的身高、体质量、肌肉量、推定骨量、总能量代谢、水分率、内脏脂肪等级均大于女性,而体脂率、BMI小于女性。随着年龄的增长,布朗族成人身体肌肉量、骨量、下肢脂肪率、能量代谢等呈明显下降,而内脏脂肪等级明显增加。与云南汉族比较,布朗族成人的体脂率较低、肌肉较发达。     

中国少数民族体成分的变化

本文对中国少数民族23352例（男10070例,女13282例）的体成分进行了分析,以了解中国少数民族脂肪率、肌肉量的现状,探讨体成分随年龄增长的变化规律。研究发现,男性和女性总体上属于超重水平,还没有达到肥胖水平。与南方族群男性相比,北方阿尔泰语系族群的男性四肢脂肪率高、内脏脂肪等级高、水分率低。南方族群中,藏缅语族群、苗瑶语族群、壮侗语族群的四肢脂肪率、内脏脂肪等级、水分率相对接近;南亚语系族群与这3个南方族群差距较大。与南方族群女性相比,北方阿尔泰语系族群的女性躯干、四肢肌肉量大,骨骼重;南方4个族群女性躯干、四肢肌肉量较小,骨骼较轻,骨量、肌肉量彼此接近。随年龄增长,男性骨量下降,水分率增大;上肢脂肪率减小,躯干脂肪率增大,内脏脂肪等级增大,即脂肪向躯干集中,全身总体脂率增大;下肢肌肉量减少,躯干肌肉量下降,最终导致全身总肌肉量下降。随年龄增长,女性上肢的脂肪率和肌肉量没有明显变化,下肢的脂肪率下降,躯干脂肪率和内脏脂肪等级增大,总体脂率增大;躯干肌肉量下降,总肌肉量下降。男性推定骨量下降的节点是50岁,女性是60岁。男性总肌肉量下降的节点是40岁,女性是50岁。男性、女性身体水分率增加的节点都是60岁,内脏脂肪等级增加的节点都是30岁,总脂肪率下降的节点都是60岁,躯干脂肪率增加的节点都是30岁,躯干肌肉量下降的节点都是40岁。研究还发现,体脂率、内脏脂肪等级与血糖呈显著正相关。研究结果反映了中国少数民族从青年到老年的体成分变化的基本规律。     

Visceral fat is a determinant of PAI-1 activity in diabetic and non-diabetic overweight and obese women.

Plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1), an inhibitor of fibrinolysis and an important and independent cardiovascular risk factor, has been shown to be elevated in obesity and type 2 diabetes. Recent study results have suggested that adipose tissue--visceral fat in particular--could play an important role in the fibrinolytic process.In order to assess the specific role of this fat distribution, we measured PAI-1 activity (AU/ml) and visceral fat (CT-scan at level L4-L5) in 2 groups of 30 overweight and obese diabetic and overweight and obese non-diabetic women. Subjects were matched for age, weight, body mass index, fat mass and total abdominal fat. Visceral adipose tissue and PAI-1 were significantly higher in diabetic women (p = 0.022 and p = 0.004 respectively) than in non-diabetic patients. Visceral fat correlated significantly with PAI-1 activity, even after correction for insulin and triglycerides (r = 0.28, p = 0.034). Stepwise regression analysis showed visceral fat as the most important determinant factor for PAI-1 in the whole group and in the non-diabetic group. In the diabetic group, fasting insulin was the most important determinant. These results show that visceral fat is more important than BMI or total body fat in the determination of PAI-1 levels. Furthermore, the increased amount of visceral fat in type 2 diabetics may contribute to the increase of PAI-1 activity levels and the subsequent increased risk for thrombovascular disease, regardless of BMI and total fatness.     

Biological specificity of visceral adipose tissue and therapeutic intervention

With excess energy storage, obesity develops, leading to increased risk for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. The distribution of body fat appears to be even more important than the total amount of fat. Abdominal and, in particular, visceral adiposity is strongly linked to insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidaemia, sleep apnea, and other complications of obesity. Visceral adiposity, manifested as a high waist circumference, is now accepted as a major component of the metabolic syndrome. However, the biological mechanisms underlying the adverse impact of visceral fat accumulation remain to be established. This review will focus on the analysis of the biological specificity of adipose tissue located in the abdominal region, and will explore intervention strategies targeting the impaired function of the visceral adipocyte as potential therapies for the cardio-metabolic outcomes of patients with the metabolic syndrome.     

Leptin in sarcopenic visceral obesity: possible link between adipocytes and myocytes

The combination of sarcopenia, age-related loss of muscle strength and mass, and obesity has been recognized as a new category of obesity among the elderly. Given that leptin has been hypothesized to be involved in the pathogenesis of sarcopenic obesity, we investigated the relationship between plasma leptin levels and thigh muscle sarcopenia and visceral obesity. Thigh muscle cross-sectional area (CSA) and visceral fat area were measured using computed tomography as indices for muscle mass and visceral fat, respectively, in 782 middle-aged to elderly subjects (303 men and 479 women), participating in a medical check-up program. Visceral obesity was defined as visceral fat area >100 cm², and sarcopenia was defined as < (one standard deviation − mean of thigh muscle CSA/body weight of young subjects [aged <50 years]).Thigh muscle CSA was significantly and negatively associated with plasma levels of leptin in both men (β = -0.28, p<0.0001) and women (β = -0.20, p<0.0001), even after correcting for other confounding parameters, including age, body weight, body height, visceral fat area, blood pressure, homeostatic model assessment index, and high sensitive C reactive protein. Subjects were divided into four groups based on presence or absence of sarcopenia or visceral obesity. Plasma levels of leptin were higher in subjects with sarcopenic visceral obesity than in those with either sarcopenia or visceral obesity alone. These findings indicate that sarcopenic visceral obesity is a more advanced, and suggest that leptin may link visceral obesity and sarcopenia.     

Controlling access time to a high-fat diet during the inactive period protects against obesity in mice

Free feeding (FF) with a high fat diet (HFD) causes excessive body weight gain, whereas restricted feeding (RF) with a HFD attenuates body weight gain. The effects of timing of feeding with a HFD (day vs. night) and feeding duration on energy homeostasis have not yet been investigated. In this study, we fed mice a HFD or a normal diet (ND) twice a day, during their active and inactive periods, on a schedule. The amount of food was regulated by feeding duration (2, 4 or 8?h). First, we investigated the effects of 4-h RF during active–inactive periods (ND–ND, HFD–HFD, ND–HFD or HFD–ND). Among all the 4-h RF groups, mice consumed almost the same amount of calories as those in the FF[ND] group, even those fed a HFD. Body weight and visceral fat in these three groups were lower than that in the FF[HFD] group. Second, we investigated the effects of RF duration. Body weight and visceral fat were higher in the 8-h groups than in the 4-h groups. Body weight and visceral fat were higher in the 2-h groups than in the 4-h groups even though the 2-h groups had less food. Third, we investigated the effects of eating a HFD during the inactive period, when RF duration was extended (2, 6 or 12?h). Mice were fed with a HFD during the inactive period for 2?h and fed with a ND during the active period for 2, 6 or 12?h. Body weight and visceral fat in these mice were comparable to those in the FF[ND] mice. The results of our first set of experiments suggest that 4-h RF was an adequate feeding duration to control the effect of a HFD on obesity. The results of our second set of experiments suggest 2-h RF (such as speed-eating) and 8-h RF, representative of eating disorders, are unhealthy feeding patterns related to obesity. The results of our third set of experiments suggest that eating a HFD for a short period during the night does not affect body weight and visceral fat. Taken together, these results indicate that consideration to feeding with a HFD during the inactive period and restricting eating habits relieve the risks of body weight gain and visceral fat accumulation.     

Capsaicin-sensitive intestinal mucosal afferent mechanism and body fat distribution

This report summarizes clinical and experimental data in support of the hypothesis that capsaicin-sensitive intestinal mucosal afferent mechanism plays a role in regulating body fat distribution. Epidemiological data have revealed that the consumption of foods containing capsaicin is associated with a lower prevalence of obesity. Rural Thai people consume diets containing 0.014% capsaicin. Rodents fed a diet containing 0.014% capsaicin showed no change in caloric intake but a significant 24% and 29% reduction in the visceral (peri-renal) fat weight. Increase in intestinal blood flow facilitates nutrient energy absorption and decrease in adipose tissue blood flow facilitates storage of nutrient energy in adipose tissue. Stimulation of intestinal mucosal afferent nerves increases intestinal blood flow, but decreases visceral (mesenteric) adipost tissue blood flow. In in vitro cell studies capsaicin has a direct effect on adipocytes. Intravenous capsaicin produces measurable plasma level and subcutaneous capsaicin retards accumulation of adipose tissue. The data on a direct effect of oral capsaicin on adipose tissue at remote sites, however, are conflicting. Capsaicin absorbed from the gut lumen is almost completely metabolized before reaching the general circulation. Oral capsaicin significantly increases transient receptor potential vanilloid type-1 (TRPV1) channel expression as well as TRPV1 messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) in visceral adipose tissue. In TRPV1 knockout mice on a high fat diet the body weight was not significantly different in the absence or presence of oral capsaicin. In rodent experiments, daily intragastric administration of capsaicin for two weeks led to defunctionalization of intestinal mucosal afferent nerves, manifested by loss of acute mucosal capsaicin-induced effects; but not the corneal afferent nerves, with preservation of the paw wiping reflex of the eye exposed briefly to dilute capsaicin. The latter indicated the absence of an oral capsaicin effect at one remote site. There was an accompanying decrease and an increase in the proportion of body fat in visceral and subcutaenous compartments, respectively. Taken together, if oral capsaicin could regulate adipose tissue distribution, the process might involve the effect of intestinal mucosal afferent nerves in modulating intestinal and visceral adipose tissue blood flow. The hypothesis that the intestinal mucosal afferent mechanism is a plausible therapeutic target for abating visceral obesity deserves to be further evaluated.     

Impact of Visceral Fat on Blood Pressure and Insulin Sensitivity in Hypertensive Obese Women

Objective: The relationship among body fat distribution, blood pressure, serum leptin levels, and insulin resistance was investigated in hypertensive obese women with central distribution of fat. Research Methods and Procedures: We studied 74 hypertensive women (age, 49.8 ± 7.5 years; body mass index, 39.1 ± 5.5 kg/m²; waist-to-hip ratio, 0.96 ± 0.08). All patients were submitted to 24-hour blood pressure ambulatory monitoring (24h-ABPM). Abdominal ultrasonography was used to estimate the amount of visceral fat (VF). Fasting blood samples were obtained for serum leptin and insulin determinations. Insulin resistance was estimated by homeostasis model assessment insulin resistance index (HOMA-r index). Results: Sixty-four percent of the women were postmenopausal, and all patients showed central distribution of fat (waist-to-hip ratio > 0.85). The VF correlated with systolic 24h-ABPM values (r = 0.28, p = 0.01) and with HOMA-r index (r = 0.27; p = 0.01). VF measurement (7.5 ± 2.3 vs. 5.9 ± 2.2 cm, p < 0.001) and the systolic 24h-ABPM (133 ± 14.5 vs. 126 ± 9.8 mm Hg, p = 0.04), but not HOMA-r index, were significantly higher in the postmenopausal group (n = 48) than in the premenopausal group (n = 26). No correlations were observed between blood pressure levels and HOMA-r index, leptin, or insulin levels. In the multiple regression analysis, visceral fat, but not age, body fat mass, or HOMA-r index, correlated with the 24h-ABPM (p = 0.003). Discussion: In centrally obese hypertensive women, the accumulation of VF, more often after menopause, is associated with higher levels of blood pressure and insulin resistance. The mechanism through which VF contributes to higher blood pressure levels seems to be independent of leptin or insulin levels.     

Body fat distribution has no effect on serum visfatin levels in healthy female subjects

Obesity is the presence of either abnormal absolute amount or relative proportion of body fat. Contrary to gluteal obesity, visceral obesity is associated with different metabolic alterations including insulin resistance (IR). A relatively new adipocytokine visfatin is shown to be expressed predominantly in visceral fat and exhibit insulin-mimicking effects in rodents. It is still unclear whether serum visfatin levels are associated with increased total or visceral fat mass in humans. The aim of our study was to investigate the relation between visfatin and obesity parameters namely body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WaC) and IR in healthy female subjects. Eighty one female subjects ?20 years of age, having no diagnosis of glucose intolerance or diabetes, hypertension and dyslipidemia were chosen. The patients were divided into four groups according to their BMI and WaC values. Serum visfatin and HOMA-IR levels did not differ among groups. No correlation was detected between serum visfatin levels and obesity and metabolic parameters. In conclusion, we demonstrated that body fat distribution did not affect serum visfatin levels in healthy female subjects. Further studies are needed to clarify the exact factors influencing and determining serum visfatin levels and its clinical reflections.     

Gender differences in the control of energy homeostasis

The world is experiencing an epidemic of obesity and its concomitant health problems. One implication is that the normally robust negative feedback system that controls energy homeostasis must be responding to different inputs than in the past. In this review we discuss the influence of gender on the efficacy of adiposity hormones as they interact with food intake control systems in the brain. Specifically, the levels of insulin and leptin in the blood are correlated with body fat, insulin being related mainly to visceral fat and leptin to subcutaneous fat. Since females carry more fat subcutaneously and males carry more fat viscerally, leptin correlates better with total body fat in females and insulin correlates better in males. High visceral fat and plasma insulin are also risk factors for the complications of obesity, including type-2 diabetes, cardiovascular problems, and certain cancers, and these are more prevalent in males. Consistent with these systemic differences, the brains of females are more sensitive to the catabolic actions of low doses of leptin whereas the brains of males are more sensitive to the catabolic action of low doses of insulin. The implications of this are discussed.     

Potent anti-obese principle from Rosa canina: structural requirements and mode of action of trans-tiliroside

The 80% aqueous acetone extracts from the fruit (50 mg/kg/d) and seeds (12.5 and 25 mg/kg/d) of Rosa canina L., but not from the pericarps, were found to show substantial inhibitory effect on the gain of body weight and/or weight of visceral fat without affecting food intake in mice for 2 weeks after administration of the extracts. With regard to the active constituents, the principal constituent, trans-tiliroside (0.1-10 mg/kg/d), potently inhibited the gain of body weight, especially visceral fat weight, and significantly reduced blood glucose levels after glucose loading (1 g/kg, ip) in mice. On the other hand, kaempferol and p-coumaric acid lacked such effect and kaempferol 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside tended to reduce the gain of body weight and visceral fat weight, but not significantly, at a dose of 10 mg/kg/d. These results indicate the importance of both kaempferol 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside and p-coumaroyl moieties for anti-obese effects. Furthermore, a single oral administration of trans-tiliroside at a dose of 10 mg/kg increased the expression of PPAR-alpha mRNA of liver tissue in mice.     

Growth of Visceral Fat,Subcutaneous Abdominal Fat,and Total Body Fat in Children

Objective: To examine the patterns of growth of visceral fat, subcutaneous abdominal fat, and total body fat over a 3‐ to 5‐year period in white and African American children. Research Methods and Procedures: Children (mean age: 8.1 ± 1.6 years at baseline) were recruited from Birmingham, Alabama, and those with three or more repeated annual measurements were included in the analysis (N = 138 children and 601 observations). Abdominal adipose tissue (visceral and subcutaneous) was measured using computed tomography. Total body fat and lean tissue mass were measured by DXA. Random growth curve modeling was performed to estimate growth rates of the different body fat compartments. Results: Visceral fat and total body fat both exhibited significant growth effects before and after adjusting for subcutaneous abdominal fat and lean tissue mass, respectively, and for gender, race, and baseline age (5.2 ± 2.2 cm²/yr and 1.9 ± 0.8 kg/yr, respectively). After adjusting for total body fat, the growth of subcutaneous abdominal fat was not significant. Whites showed a higher visceral fat growth than did African Americans (difference: 1.9 ± 0.8 cm²/yr), but there was no ethnic difference for growth of subcutaneous abdominal fat or total body fat. There were no gender differences found for any of the growth rates. Discussion: Growth of visceral fat remained significant after adjusting for growth of subcutaneous abdominal fat, implying that the acquisition of the two abdominal fat compartments may involve different physiologic mechanisms. In contrast, growth of subcutaneous abdominal fat was explained by growth in total body fat, suggesting that subcutaneous fat may not be preferentially deposited in the abdominal area during this phase of growth. Finally, significantly higher growth of visceral fat in white compared with African American children is consistent with cross‐sectional findings.     

2型糖尿病内脏脂肪含量与胰岛β细胞功能及胰岛素抵抗的关系研究

目的:研究2型糖尿病患者内脏脂肪含量与胰岛β细胞功能及胰岛素抵抗的关系。方法:对65例初诊2型糖尿病患者采用256 CT平脐经L4、5水平进行扫描并测量皮下及内脏脂肪含量,并以BMI不同进行分组,即体重正常组、超重组、肥胖组。采用稳态模式评估法(HOMA)计算胰岛素抵抗指数、胰岛B细胞分泌功能,测量入组患者的相关人体指标、空腹血生化检查指标。结果:超体重组、肥胖组患者腰围、体重指数(body mass index, BMI)、甘油三酯(triglyceride, TG)、低密度脂蛋白胆固醇(low density lipoprotein cholesterol, LDL-C)、空腹血糖,(fasting blood-glucose, FBG)、空腹胰岛素(fasting insulin, FINS)INS、稳态模型胰岛素抵抗指数(Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance, HOMA-IR)、胰岛β细胞功能指数(Homeostasis model assessment-β,HOMA-β)指标肥胖组、超重组均明显高于正常体重组(P0.05),超体重组、肥胖组内脏脂肪含量、内脏脂肪面积、皮下脂肪含量、脂肪总含量、脂肪百分比,超重组、肥胖组均明显高于正常体重组(P0.05),且肥胖组各项指标明显高于超重组(P0.05)。多元回归分析显示腹部脂肪总含量、内脏脂肪含量、皮下脂肪含量、内脏脂肪面积、BMI与胰岛素抵抗呈正相关,而其中内脏脂肪含量及面积关系最密切。结论:内脏脂肪含量是2型糖尿病胰岛素抵抗及B细胞功能变化的独立影响因素。     

Garcinia cambogia extract ameliorates visceral adiposity in C57BL/6J mice fed on a high-fat diet

The aim of present study is to evaluate the effects of Garcinia cambogia on the mRNA levels of the various genes involved in adipogenesis, as well as on body weight gain, visceral fat accumulation, and other biochemical markers of obesity in obesity-prone C57BL/6J mice. Consumption of the Garcinia cambogia extract effectively lowered the body weight gain, visceral fat accumulation, blood and hepatic lipid concentrations, and plasma insulin and leptin levels in a high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity mouse model. The Garcinia cambogia extract reversed the HFD-induced changes in the expression pattern of such epididymal adipose tissue genes as adipocyte protein aP2 (aP2), sterol regulatory element-binding factor 1c (SREBP1c), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma2 (PPARgamma2), and CCAT/enhancer-binding protein alpha (C/EBPalpha). These findings suggest that the Garcinia cambogia extract ameliorated HFD-induced obesity, probably by modulating multiple genes associated with adipogenesis, such as aP2, SREBP1c, PPARgamma2, and C/EBPalpha in the visceral fat tissue of mice.     

Insulin sensitivity and regional fat gain in response to overfeeding

Although insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes (T2DM) are associated with upper body fat distribution, it is unknown whether insulin resistance predisposes to upper body fat gain or whether upper body fat gain causes insulin resistance. Our objective was to determine whether insulin sensitivity predicts abdominal (subcutaneous and/or visceral) fat gain in normal weight adults. Twenty-eight (15 men) lean (BMI = 22.1 ± 2.5 kg/m(2)), healthy adults underwent ~8 weeks of overfeeding to gain ~4 kg fat. Body composition was assessed before and after overfeeding, using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and abdominal computed tomography to measure total and regional (visceral, abdominal, and lower body subcutaneous) fat gain. We assessed insulin sensitivity with an intravenous glucose tolerance test (IVGTT) and the 24-h insulin area under the curve (AUC). We found a wide range of insulin sensitivity and a relatively narrow range of body fat distribution in this normal weight cohort. Participants gained 3.8 ± 1.7 kg of body fat (4.6 ± 2.2 kg body weight). The baseline 24-h AUC of insulin concentration was positively correlated with percent body fat (r = 0.43, P < 0.05). The contribution of leg fat gain to total fat gain ranged from 29 to 79%, whereas the contributions of abdominal subcutaneous fat and visceral fat gain to total fat gain ranged from 17 to 69% and -5 to 22%, respectively. Baseline insulin sensitivity, whether measured by an IVGTT (S(i)) or the 24-h AUC insulin, did not predict upper body subcutaneous or visceral fat gain in response to overfeeding. We conclude that reduced insulin sensitivity is not an obligate precursor to upper body fat gain.     

Abdominal visceral adiposity influences CD4+ T cell cytokine production in pregnancy

Women with pre-gravid obesity are at risk for pregnancy complications. While the macrophage response of obese pregnant women categorized by body mass index (BMI) has been documented, the relationship between the peripheral CD4⁺ T cell cytokine profile and body fat compartments during pregnancy is unknown. In this study, third trimester peripheral CD4⁺ T cell cytokine profiles were measured in healthy pregnant women [n = 35; pre-pregnancy BMI: 18.5–40]. CD4⁺ T cells were isolated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells and stimulated to examine their capacity to generate cytokines. Between 1 and 3 weeks postpartum, total body fat was determined by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and abdominal subcutaneous and visceral fat masses were determined by magnetic resonance imaging. Pearson’s correlation was performed to assess relationships between cytokines and fat mass. Results showed that greater abdominal visceral fat mass was associated with a decrease in stimulated CD4⁺ T cell cytokine expression. IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha, IL-12p70, IL-10 and IL-17A were inversely related to visceral fat mass. Chemokines CCL3 and IL-8 and growth factors G-CSF and FLT-3L were also inversely correlated. Additionally, total body fat mass was inversely correlated with FGF-2 while abdominal subcutaneous fat mass and BMI were unrelated to any CD4⁺ T cell cytokine. In conclusion, lower responsiveness of CD4⁺ T cell cytokines associated with abdominal visceral fat mass is a novel finding late in gestation.     

Magnetic resonance imaging of total body fat

In this study we assessed different magneticresonance imaging (MRI) scanning regimes and examined some of theassumptions commonly made for measuring body fat content by MRI. Wholebody MRI was used to quantify and study different body fat depots in 67 women. The whole body MRI results showed that there was a significant variation in the percentage of total internal, as well as visceral, adipose tissue across a range of adiposity, which could not be predicted from total body fat and/or subcutaneous fat.Furthermore, variation in the amount of total, subcutaneous, andvisceral adipose tissue was not related to standard anthropometricmeasurements such as skinfold measurements, body mass index, andwaist-to-hip ratio. Finally, we show for the first time subjects with apercent body fat close to the theoretical maximum (68%). This studydemonstrates that the large variation in individual internal fatcontent cannot be predicted from either indirect methods or directimaging techniques, such as MRI or computed tomography, on the basis ofa single-slice sampling strategy.