Risk factors in obese women, with particular reference to visceral fat component

Possible associations between increased visceral fat component and serum lipid concentrations, glucose tolerance and insulinaemia (specific radioimmunoassay) were studied as risk factors for cardiovascular disease in 50 adult obese women without known diabetes and 11 lean normal women. Visceral abdominal fat areas were evaluated by computed tomography and "true" insulin concentrations. Diabetes was observed in 6 obese women (12%) and impaired glucose tolerance in 13 (26%). In obese women, visceral fat area correlated significantly with VLDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure, whereas subcutaneous area correlated negatively with cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol. Insulinaemia was not increased in visceral obesity nor correlated with other risk factors. An association between increased visceral fat accumulation, dyslipidaemia and increased diastolic blood pressure was observed, but no significant correlations were noted between fasting "true" insulin or insulin response on an oral glucose tolerance test and intra-abdominal fat areas or dyslipidemia. The gender of the patients could have been an important factor in these last observations.