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Sagittal abdominal diameter is more predictive of cardiovascular risk than abdominal fat compartments in severe obesity

International Journal of Obesity volume 33, pages 233–238 (2009)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective:

To compare the predictive role of abdominal fat distribution by computed tomography (CT) with that of total abdominal fat by sagittal abdominal diameter (SAD) on cardiovascular risk in severe obesity.

Design:

A cross-sectional, clinical study.

Subjects:

64 males and 64 females, aged 42±15 years (mean±s.d.; range 18–75 years), BMI (kg/m2) 41.7±5.3 (30.2–57.6).

Measurements:

Blood glucose, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, triglycerides (TGLs), insulin (IRI), insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), slice areas (cm2) of total (tSAT), superficial (sSAT) and deep subcutaneous adipose tissue (dSAT), visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and SAD (mm) by CT.

Results:

The sSAT depot was negatively associated with blood glucose, HOMA-IR, LDL cholesterol and TGLs, whereas dSAT was negatively associated with HDL cholesterol. VAT was associated with blood glucose and HOMA-IR, whereas SAD was associated with all variables evaluated. In males, VAT was associated with blood glucose (r2=0.12, P<0.01), SAD was associated with blood glucose (r2=0.67, P<0.01), IRI (r2=0.65, P<0.05), and HOMA-IR (r2=0.67, P<0.01). In females, sSAT was negatively associated with blood glucose (r2=0.63, P<0.05), whereas VAT was associated positively with blood glucose (r2=0.21, P< 0.001), total cholesterol (r2=0.16, P<0.01), LDL cholesterol (r2=0.20, P<0.001) and TGLs (r2=0.12, P<0.01). SAD was associated positively with IRI (r2=0.52, P<0.05), HOMA-IR (r2=0.53, P<0.05), total cholesterol (r2=0.52, P<0.05), LDL cholesterol (r2=0.54, P<0.01), TGLs (r2=0.52, P<0.05) and negatively to HDL cholesterol (r2=0.51, P<0.001).

Conclusion:

When compared with CT-based measures of abdominal fat compartments, SAD is a more predictive indicator of cardiovascular risk in severe obesity.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Operative Unit of General Medicine, San Giuseppe Hospital, Istituto Auxologico Italiano Foundation, Verbania Intra (VB), Italy

    G Guzzaloni, A Minocci, P Marzullo & A Liuzzi

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  1. G Guzzaloni
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  2. A Minocci
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Correspondence to G Guzzaloni.

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Guzzaloni, G., Minocci, A., Marzullo, P. et al. Sagittal abdominal diameter is more predictive of cardiovascular risk than abdominal fat compartments in severe obesity. Int J Obes 33, 233–238 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1038/ijo.2008.271

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