Relationship between visceral fat accumulation and hypertension in obese men

Visceral-fat (VF) accumulation is suggested to be a major contributor to such cardiovascular-disease risk factors as hypertension (H), glucose intolerance (G), and hyperlipidemia (L). We have devised a simple way of estimating VF accumulation, and investigated the relationship between VF and hypertension in obese men.

First, CT scan was used to measure VF area in the umbilical region in 108 obese men. Then the umbilical-region circumference (C) was measured with a tape measure and abdominal skinfold thickness (S) with a skinfold caliper. The data obtained with a model formula (VFe = alphaC2 - betaCS + gamma) and actual VF area were compared, and three coefficients, alpha, beta, and gamma, were calculated by means of multivariate analysis. Next, in 354 male company employees, VFe was estimated using this model formula, and cardiovascular risk factors were investigated.

The formula for estimating VF (cm2) was VFe = 0.03C2 - 0.36CS - 47 (correlation coefficient; r = 0.72). Discriminant analysis between the merely obese group (O) and thegroup complicated by multiple cardiovascular risk factors (O, H, G, and L) determined a VFe-cutoff value of 120 cm2. Its discriminant sensitivity/specificity values were significantly higher than those based on body mass index (BMI) (cutoff value of 27 kg/m2) (p < 0.05). Hypertensive obese (HO) men with high VFe value (> 120 cm2) had a higher frequency of other risk factors (G or L: 86%).

VFe is considered useful in estimating VF accumulation, and seems more effective than BMI for predicting multiple cardiovascular risk factors (VF syndrome) in obese hypertensive men.