Obesity and adipose tissue distribution as risk factors for the development of disease. A review

Recent studies have shown the predictive power of abdominal distribution of adipose tissue for the development of cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes as well as strong associations to the previously known risk factors for these endpoints. The reason for the accumulation of abdominal fat might be due to an imbalance between cortisol and sex steroid hormones. Cortisol receptor density seems to be particularly high in abdominal adipose tissue, leading to expression of lipoprotein lipase activity primarily here. Progesterone and testosterone seems to counteract this, the former perhaps through competition with the cortisol receptor. Accumulation of intraabdominal fat, particularly in the tissues drained by the portal circulation, probably leads to high free fatty acid concentrations in the portal vein, because of the high lipolytic sensitivity of these tissues. This in turn seems to inhibit hepatic clearance of portal insulin, leading to peripheral hyperinsulinemia, insulin resistance, perhaps hypertension as well as hyperlipidemia via drive by free fatty acids of lipoprotein synthesis in the liver. These are risk factors for diabetes, cardiovascular disease and stroke. It is of interest that subjects with abdominal adipose tissue have several factors leading to increased cortisol and low sex steroid hormone secretion, including stress, high alcohol consumption and smoking. This might provide some of the background to this syndrome.