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Updated: Aug 12, 2026
08:53
Localization, Identification, and Excision of Murine Adipose Depots
Published on: December 4, 2014
Abdominal adipose tissue distribution and metabolic risk
Suzy Wong1, Ian Janssen, Robert Ross
1School of Physical and Health Education, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
Sports Medicine (Auckland, N.Z.)
|August 5, 2003
Summary
Waist circumference predicts disease risk independently of BMI. This review examines how visceral and subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue (AT) contribute to metabolic risk, addressing measurement challenges and underlying mechanisms.
Area of Science:
- Metabolic disease research
- Obesity and body composition analysis
- Adipose tissue biology
Background:
- Waist circumference is a key predictor of disease and metabolic risk, independent of body mass index (BMI).
- Abdominal obesity, particularly visceral adipose tissue (AT), is implicated in metabolic risk factors, often assessed via imaging.
- The independent contributions of visceral and subcutaneous AT to metabolic risk require further clarification due to methodological inconsistencies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the independent contribution of visceral and abdominal subcutaneous AT to obesity-related health risks.
- To address methodological issues in classifying and measuring abdominal AT depots.
- To explore proposed mechanisms linking abdominal adiposity to metabolic risk.
Main Methods:
- Literature review focusing on abdominal adipose tissue depots and metabolic risk.
- Examination of methodological challenges in defining and measuring visceral and subcutaneous AT.
- Inclusion of original data where necessary to clarify concepts.
Main Results:
- Waist circumference is a significant predictor of metabolic risk, independent of BMI.
- Abdominal obesity, assessed by imaging, is linked to numerous metabolic risk factors.
- Current definitions and measurement methods for abdominal AT depots lack standardization, leading to research discrepancies.
Conclusions:
- Clarifying the roles of visceral and subcutaneous AT is crucial for understanding obesity-related health risks.
- Standardized methodologies for AT measurement are needed for accurate metabolic and descriptive studies.
- Further research into the mechanisms connecting abdominal adiposity and metabolic risk is warranted.
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