Correlation of body visceral fat rating with serum lipid profile and fasting blood sugar in obese adults using a noninvasive machine

Association Between Visceral Fat Metabolism Score and Cataract Risk in US Adults: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999 to 2008

PURPOSE

The present work focused on investigating the relation of visceral fat metabolic score (METS-VF) with cataract prevalence among the American adults.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional study.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study, based on the U.S. population, used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) conducted between 1999 and 2008. For assessing the association of METS-VF with cataract, we employed multivariable logistic regression analysis, subgroup analyses, and restricted cubic splines (RCS) analysis for exploring their relation. Additionally, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was conducted to compare the cataract diagnostic abilities of METS-VF, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR).

RESULTS

There were altogether 2,730 participants included, of whom 290 had cataract.METS-VF was significantly related to cataract (P < .001). As METS-VF quartiles increased, cataract prevalence also increased (Q1: 1.90%, Q2: 6.74%, Q3: 10.25%, Q4: 23.61%). After adjusting for all variables, METS-VF still showed positive relation to cataract prevalence (odds ratio (OR) = 3.14, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.67, 5.93). Subgroup analysis revealed a consistent relationship between METS-VF and cataracts across different groups. The RCS results showed that there was no significant nonlinear relationship between METS-VF and cataracts (P-non-linear = 0.209). ROC curve analysis showed that METS-VF outperformed BMI, WC, and WHtR in cataract prediction.

CONCLUSION

METS-VF is significantly positively related to a higher cataract prevalence, and this relationship remains robust across various subgroups. Additionally, METS-VF demonstrates a stronger predictive ability for cataract than BMI, WC, and WHtR.

Visceral Fat, Metabolic Health, and Lifestyle Factors in Obstructive Bronchial Diseases: Insights from Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis

Background/Objectives: This study examines the relationship between visceral fat (VF), metabolic health, and dietary patterns in patients with obstructive bronchial diseases (OBDs) using bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). Methods: A total of 75 patients diagnosed with OBD, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and/or asthma, were assessed for VF levels via BIA. Dietary habits were evaluated using a structured questionnaire to explore their correlation with VF accumulation. Results: The study cohort comprised predominantly male participants (66.7%), with the majority aged between 61 and 70 years (46.7%). Significant gender differences in VF distribution were observed, with 60% of females maintaining normal VF levels (1-9) compared to only 28% of males, while 38% of males exhibited very high VF levels (15-30; p = 0.003). Body mass index (BMI) showed a strong correlation with VF (p < 0.0001), as overweight and obese individuals predominantly displayed elevated VF levels (≥10). Moreover, metabolic syndrome (MS) was present in 66.7% of participants, with these individuals exhibiting significantly higher VF levels compared to those without MS (p = 0.001). Dietary analysis revealed that frequent consumption of fast food (r = 0.717, p < 0.001), carbonated drinks (r = 0.366, p = 0.001), and refined carbohydrates (r = 0.438, p < 0.001) was significantly associated with increased VF accumulation. Conversely, higher intake of water (r = -0.551, p < 0.001), fruits (r = -0.581, p < 0.001), and vegetables (r = -0.482, p < 0.001) correlated with lower VF levels. Lack of physical activity was also strongly linked to VF accumulation (r = 0.481, p < 0.001), further reinforcing the role of lifestyle factors in metabolic health. Conclusions: The findings underscore the significant impact of dietary habits and physical activity on VF accumulation in OBD patients. BMI and MS emerged as critical predictors of VF, while unhealthy dietary patterns and sedentary lifestyles further exacerbated VF deposition. Elevated VF levels were linked to adverse lipid profiles, reinforcing the need for dietary and lifestyle modifications in managing metabolic health among OBD patients. Although no direct association was identified between VF and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), the results highlight the necessity of integrated nutritional and metabolic interventions in the management of chronic respiratory diseases.

A Nonlinear Association of Body Mass Index and Fasting Blood Glucose: A Dose-Response Analysis From Fasa Adults Cohort Study (FACS)

Background and Aims

Obesity is associated with diabetes; however, the dose-response association between body mass index (BMI) and fasting blood glucose (FBG) remains unclear. This study aims to evaluate the dose-response relationship between BMI and the risk of prediabetes and diabetes among adults.

Methods

A total of 10,135 participants were enrolled in this study from the baseline profiles of the Fasa Adults Cohort Study (FACS) conducted between October 2014 and September 2016. Multivariable logistic regression model and restricted cubic spline (RCS) were applied to evaluate the dose-response relationship between BMI and the risk of prediabetes and ‎diabetes. Statistical ‎ analyses were performed using the software R (4.3.1), taking the significance level at 0.05.

Results

Findings indicated that after adjusting the confounding variables, the risk of diabetes was increased by increasing BMI (overweight: OR = 1.67, 95% CI = 1.36-2.06; obese: OR = 1.76, 95% CI = 1.37-2.26). The results of dose-response analysis displayed a nonlinear J-shaped association between BMI and the risk of diabetes (p trend < 0.001, nonlinear p < 0.001) and prediabetes (p trend < 0.001, nonlinear p < 0.049).

Conclusion

Based on our research, a higher BMI is a dose-dependent, independent risk factor for diabetes. As a result, prevention initiatives should think about emphasizing ongoing BMI modifications.

Evaluating the impact of visceral fat on the outcomes of frozen embryo transfer via bioelectrical impedance analysis

Objectives

The increasing prevalence of obesity underscores the need to explore its impact on assisted reproductive technology (ART) outcomes. This study aims to evaluate the association between visceral fat area (VFA), measured by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), and pregnancy outcomes following frozen embryo transfer (FET).

Methods

In this retrospective clinical study, the data of 1,510 patients who underwent FET between April 2022 and April 2023 were analyzed. The VFA was measured by BIA, and patients were categorized into low and high VFA groups based on a threshold of 65 cm². Pregnancy outcomes were compared between the two groups. Univariable and multivariate logistic regression analyses, along with restricted cubic spline (RCS) modeling, were used to adjust for age, body mass index (BMI), and basal estradiol (E2) levels to determine the relationship between VFA and FET outcomes.

Results

There were significant differences in baseline characteristics and outcomes between the two groups. The high VFA group was characterized by older age and a lower basal estradiol (E2) level. The biochemical pregnancy rate, implantation rate, clinical pregnancy rate (CPR), and live birth rate (LBR) were significantly lower in the high VFA group. Logistic regression revealed a significant negative correlation between the high VFA group and both CPR and LBR. The RCS model demonstrated that the VFA was nonlinearly correlated with CPR and LBR. Subgroup analysis showed that among individuals under 35 years of age or with a BMI < 24, high VFA was significantly associated with poorer CPR and LBR.

Conclusions

High VFA is associated with poorer pregnancy outcomes after FET in female patients with infertility, with both CPR and LBR decreasing as VFA increases. Clinicians should consider VFA as an important reference for targeted fat management interventions to optimize reproductive success, especially when VFA exceeds 65 cm².

Analysis of Body Composition and Levels of Antimicrobial Peptides in Patients with Basal Cell Carcinoma: A Preliminary Study

Background: Excessive body fatness is the basis of many diseases, especially civilization-related ones. The aim of this study is to analyze the body composition and serum levels of selected antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) in patients with basal cell carcinoma (BCC), in comparison to healthy controls (HCs), and investigate whether any specific parameter significantly increases the risk of BCC development. Methods: The body composition and measurements of serum levels of cathelicidin and human-beta-defensin-2 were analyzed in a group of 100 subjects (50 patients with BCC and 50 HCs). Results: There were statistically significant differences between the visceral fat rating (BCC 11.7 vs. control 10.1), cathelicidin (BCC 1022.6 vs. control 428.4), defensin-2 (BCC 1.2 vs. control 0.4), age (BCC 68.7 vs. control 62.4), and the visceral fat/muscle ratio (BCC 0.24 vs. control 0.21). Conclusions: It seems that excessive fat, especially visceral fat, may pose a risk of developing skin cancer. Therefore, it should be taken into account when caring for patients and they should be made aware that losing body weight may be important not only in reducing the risk of hypertension or diabetes but also cancer diseases. There are numerous well-known risk factors for developing skin cancer, but few are modifiable. Among these modifiable factors is the patient's weight and body composition, so improvaing lifestyle is crucial in the prevention of skin cancers.

Gut microbiota and metabolomics unveil the mechanisms of Lomatogonium rotatum in ameliorating visceral fat and serum lipids in high-fat diet-induced obese mice

Lomatogonium rotatum (LR) is a folk medicinal herb traditionally used as a lipid-lowering and anti-obesity agent; but its pharmacological mechanism is unclear. In this study, we assessed the alterations of LR on gut microbes and serum metabolites in obese mice and their associated mechanisms of modulation on visceral fat and serum lipid by integrating gut microbiota and metabolomics analyses. Mice were fed a high-fat diet (HFD) to generate obesity and were then given LR and Orlistat orally at different doses (0.18, 0.9, 1.8 g/kg for LR and 0.048 g/kg for Orlistat) for a duration of 9 weeks. The impact of LR on weight loss was assessed through the examination of fat deposition, serum lipid indices, liver indices, and HE pathohistology. The effects of LR on gut microbiota and serum metabolites in obese mice were then investigated by 16S rRNA sequencing technology and untargeted metabolomics, and correlation analysis was performed. LR significantly reduced body weight, feed intake, Lee's index, visceral fat accumulation, serum TG, TC, AST and ALT, and elevated serum HDL levels in obese mice. In addition, 16S rRNA sequencing results indicated that the LR intervention remodeled microbial diversity and composition, increased the relative abundance of gut microbes Bacteroidetes and Porphyromonadaceae in HFD-induced obese mice, and decreased the Deferribacteres, Firmicutes and the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio. Correlation analyses showed that LR regulation of L-tyrosine and hesperetin metabolism, as well as alterations in the metabolic pathways of Phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan biosynthesis, were associated with the changes in abundance of Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Porphyromonadaceae and Deferribacteres. Our study demonstrated that LR has lipid lowering and visceral fat reduction effects and its function may be closely related to the improvement of the gut microbiota and its associated metabolites.

Body shape index (ABSI), body roundness index (BRI) and risk factors of metabolic syndrome among overweight and obese adults: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is one of the most significant public health issues worldwide, which increases the risk of various diseases. Epidemiological evidence suggests that newer anthropometric measures, such as a body shape index (ABSI) and body roundness index (BRI) can be used to predict MetS. However, anthropometric measures to predict the risk for MetS should be clarified in each population. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the association between ABSI, BRI, and MetS risk factors among overweight and obese Iranian adults.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study included 347 overweight and obese individuals [body mass index (BMI) > 25 kg/m2] aged 20-50 years in Tabriz, Iran. Anthropometric measures were assessed, including BMI, waist circumference (WC), and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR). Additionally, ABSI and BRI were calculated based on the collected data. Blood pressure was measured using standard protocols. Body composition also was measured using body impedance analysis (BIA). Enzymatic-colorimetric methods were used to assess serum glucose and lipids, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits were used to measure insulin levels.

RESULTS

Participants with higher ABSI exhibited significantly higher systolic blood pressure (SBP) (P = 0.001), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (P = 0.010), and triglyceride (TG) levels (P < 0.001), along with significantly lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels (P < 0.001). In the crude model, individuals in the highest ABSI tertile (tertile 3) had a higher likelihood of having higher SBP (OR: 1.032; 95% CI: 1.014-1.051) and DBP (OR: 1.33; 95% CI: 1.009-1.058), as well as a significant association with lower HDL-C levels (OR: 0.945; 95% CI: 0.918-0.973). Additionally, both ABSI tertile 2 (OR: 1.005; 95% CI: 1.001-1.008) and tertile 3 (OR: 0.993; 95% CI: 1.003-1.011) were linked to a higher likelihood of having higher TG levels. No significant associations were found between BRI tertiles and MetS risk factors.

CONCLUSION

According to our results, ABSI and BRI are poor predictors of MetS risk variables, in overweight and obese individuals. High ABSI is only slightly linked with high SBP, DBP, and TG and low HDL-C. However, longitudinal and long-term investigations are encouraged to verify the efficacy of these two measures.

Resting Heart Rate Variability is Independently Associated with Visceral Fat Rating Scores in Saudi Adult Males

BACKGROUND

Visceral adipose tissue (VAT) may be a specific modifiable contributor to body composition-related autonomic impairment.

OBJECTIVES

To compare heart rate variability (HRV) between groups stratified by visceral fat rating (VFR) and compare associations between HRV and body composition metrics.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted on healthy men (n=99,age=37.8±13.4 years, body mass index [BMI]=26.9±4.6 kg/m2). HRV was derived from 5-minute electrocardiographic recordings. Body composition (body fat percentage, VFR, and muscle mass to visceral fat ratio [MMVFR]) was estimated using tetrapolar bioelectrical impedance analysis. Participants were categorized into groups according to VFR: G1 (VFR=1-8); G2(VFR=9-12); and G3(VFR>12). Age-adjusted comparisons were made between groups. Independent associations were quantified with multiple linear regressions. P <0.05 was significant.

RESULTS

Root-mean square of successive differences (RMSSD) and standard deviation of normal RR intervals (SDNN) were higher for G1 vs. G2 and G3 (p<0.05). Low-frequency power (LF) was higher in G1 than in G2 (p<0.05). VFR and MMVFR were negatively associated with SDNN, RMSSD, LF, and HF (p<0.05). After adjusting for age, BMI, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure, VFR was significantly predictive of RMSSD, SDNN, and HF (p=0.002,-0.027), and MMVFR was significantly predictive of RMSSD and SDNN (p=0.020,-0.023).

CONCLUSIONS

Men in the lowest VFR category had the highest HRV. VFR was more strongly associated with HRV than body fat percentage and MMVR. Time domain parameters were more sensitive to VAT than frequency domain parameters. HRV parameters could be the primary parameters of interest in tracking cardiac-autonomic status in response to interventions targeting VAT reduction.

Bifidobacterium lactis IDCC 4301 (B. lactis Fit™) supplementation effects on body fat, serum triglyceride, and adipokine ratio in obese women: a randomized clinical trial

Obesity is a common metabolic disease characterized by abnormal fat accumulation. It contributes to health issues, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and dyslipidemia, necessitating continuous management through diet and physical activity. Probiotics, particularly Bifidobacterium lactis IDCC 4301 (B. lactis Fit™), have shown promise in positively regulating the gut microbiota. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the anti-obesity effect of B. lactis IDCC 4301 (B. lactis Fit™) in obese women. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-arm study was performed in 99 volunteers with a body mass index (BMI) of 25-30 kg m-2. The participants were randomly assigned to probiotics (n = 49, >5.0 × 109 CFU day-1) or placebo (n = 50) groups. Body fat, lipid profiles, and adipokine levels were assessed at baseline and at 12 weeks. After 12 weeks, changes in total fat (placebo -0.16 ± 0.83 kg; probiotics -0.45 ± 0.83 kg; p = 0.0407), trunk fat (placebo -0.03 ± 0.50 kg; probiotics -0.22 ± 0.51 kg; p = 0.0200), and serum triglyceride concentration (placebo 13 ± 60 mg dL-1; probiotics -15 ± 62 mg dL-1; p = 0.0088) were significantly different between the groups. The difference in total fat mass change between groups among postmenopausal women was greater than that of all women. A significant positive correlation was found between the change in total fat mass and log leptin/adiponectin ratio (R = 0.371, p = 0.0112) in the probiotics group. In addition, BMI (26.6 ± 1.9 kg m-2 to 26.4 ± 2.0 kg m-2, p = 0.0009) and leg fat (42 ± 5% to 41 ± 5%, p = 0.0006) significantly decreased in the probiotics group after 12 weeks, but there was no difference in the placebo group. In conclusion, B. lactis IDCC 4301 (B. lactis Fit™) may be associated with body fat loss through changes in metabolic health parameters, such as serum triglyceride and adipokine levels. The clinical trial registry number is KCT0007425 (https://cris.nih.go.kr).

Detection of Chylous Plasma Based on Machine Learning and Hyperspectral Techniques

Chylous blood is the main cause of unqualified and scrapped blood among volunteer blood donors. Therefore, a diagnostic method that can quickly and accurately identify chylous blood before donation is needed. In this study, the GaiaSorter "Gaia" hyperspectral sorter was used to extract 254 bands of plasma images, ranging from 900 nm to 1700 nm. Four different machine learning algorithms were used, including decision tree, Gaussian Naive Bayes (GaussianNB), perceptron, and stochastic gradient descent models. First, the preliminary classification accuracies were compared with the original data, which showed that the effects of the decision tree and GaussianNB models were better; their average accuracies could reach over 90%. Then, the feature dimension reduction was performed on the original data. The results showed that the effects of the decision tree were better with a classification accuracy of 93.33%. the classification of chylous plasma using different chylous indices suggested that the accuracies of the decision trees model both before and after the feature dimension reductions were the best with over 80% accuracy. The results of feature dimension reduction showed that the characteristic bands corresponded to all kinds of plasma, thereby showing their classification and identification potential. By applying the spectral characteristics of plasma to medical technology, this study suggested a rapid and effective method for the identification of chylous plasma and provided a reference for the blood detection technology to achieve the goal of reducing wasting blood resources and improving the work efficiency of the medical staff.

Prediction of high visceral adipose tissue for sex-specific community residents in Taiwan

Visceral adipose tissue accumulation is strongly linked with numerous chronic diseases; however, the accessibility for visceral adipose tissue measurement is limited. This study employed a cross-sectional design to determine the optimal strongest predictor of high visceral adipose tissue in each sex and identified the optimal cutoff value thereof. Purposive sampling was used to recruit 94 men and 326 women aged ≥40 years in southern Taiwan. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to explore the optimal predictor of high visceral adipose tissue (defined as ≥135 cm2 for men and ≥100 cm2 for women) in each sex. The waist-to-hip ratio was the strongest predictor for men, with a cutoff value of 0.96 yielding the maximum sensitivity (94.29%) and specificity (93.22%). By contrast, body mass index was the strongest predictor for women, with a cutoff value of 25.45 kg/m2 yielding the maximum sensitivity (87.18%) and specificity (87.55%). The results may serve as a reference for health policy-makers in screening for high visceral adipose tissue to identify individuals at high risk of developing chronic diseases for health promotion.

Abdominal obesity, serum estradiol and cardiovascular risk among Nigerian postmenopausal women: a cross-sectional study

Background

Rates of cardiovascular (CV) disease mortality is usually higher in men but this equalizes with that of women following menopause.

Objectives

This was to determine the contribution of abdominal obesity and estradiol to cardiovascular risk in postmenopausal women (PMW) as well as estimate their CV risk profile.

Methods

271 consenting PMW were recruited consecutively into this cross-sectional hospital-based study. Data relating to their socio-demography, blood pressure and anthropometry was obtained and laboratory analysis of lipid profile and serum estradiol was done. Cardiovascular risk of participants was estimated using standardized calculators.

Results

Mean age of participants was 57.8±5.5 years. Significant correlation existed between each of triglyceride (Positive), High Density Lipoprotein (negative) and Waist-Hip-Ratio (WHR) (p=0.001 and 0.000 respectively). Hypertension and dyslipidaemia were significantly associated with WHR (p=0.01 and 0.031 respectively). Significant negative correlation existed between CV risk profile and serum estradiol (rs = -0.140, p = 0.028). Ten-unit increase in WHR was associated with two-fold risk of hypertension (OR> 1.73, C.I.= 1.13-2.66). A unit change in age was associated with 0.61 increase in TC.

Conclusion

Abdominal obesity and serum estradiol significantly influence cardio-metabolic risk. Newer risk calculator which incorporates factors peculiar to women such as serum E2 is hereby recommended.

On the relationship between CT measured abdominal fat parameters and three metabolic risk biomarkers

Introduction: Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, and there is a need for the development of adjacent markers to assess cardiovascular risk. In this study, we examined the relationship between the areas of abdominal fat compartments, as measured by computed tomography (CT)-based planar measurements, and laboratory-validated cardiovascular risk markers.

Methods: Fat distribution was measured on CT scans in 252 patients (M: F = 1.13) who underwent routine abdominal CT, using in-house and commercially available software. The included laboratory parameters were glucose, triglycerides, and the triglycerideglucose index.

Results: The visceral abdominal fat (VAF) area and VAF percentage were lower in females compared to the VAF area and VAF percentage in males, (p=0.001, and p<0.001 respectively). However, the total abdominal fat (TAF) area was not significantly different between genders. Visceral fat and triglyceride levels showed a weakly positive connection for females (r=0.447, p=0.002) but not for males (r=0.229, p=0.09). The glucose levels had a weak correlation with CT calculated abdominal fat parameters, with the strongest statistically significant correlation value being with TAF for females (r=0.331, p=0.003).

Conclusions: Areas of abdominal fat compartments correlate with metabolic parameters in the blood, and in the future, their assessment might be considered when constructing risk scores. Visceral fat content assessment for every abdominal computed tomography procedure might become a surrogate marker for cardio-vascular risk estimation after defining clear cut-off values and image analysis parameters.

Somatotypological features of men of working age – natives of the North

Anthropometry is known as the basic method for the body physical status assessment.

The aim. The study examined anthropometric and somatometric indices in the working age men and investigated physical development variables specific for the region in terms of being used for early diagnosing obesity-related risks for non-infectious diseases.

Materials and methods. One hundred and twenty-three male subjects aged 32–40 participated in the survey (mean age was 35.2 ± 0.2 years). Subjective main physical

development parameters were analyzed.

Results. Participants’ average body length variables were seen to be significantly higher than those in other Russia’s regions and some other countries. The similar tendency was observed for subjective body mass, chest circumference, and body mass index variables with disharmonic somatotype and hypersthenic type of body constitution revealed in examined working age men in comparison with younger male subjects. Musculoskeletal mass loss and fat accumulation indicate the development tendency of sarcopenia in men of working age. Excessive body weight prevalence in 32–40-year-old men was 47 %, and 17 % of the examinees were diagnosed with 1st degree obesity.

Conclusion. The survey identified the modern population of male northerners as having negative tendencies in their somatometric picture, which involves disharmonic somatotype, sarcopenia, excessive body weight, and 1st degree obesity and results in significant risks for non-infectious inflammation and cardiovascular diseases at the studied age.

Waist Circumference and BMI Are Strongly Correlated with MRI-Derived Fat Compartments in Young Adults

Young adulthood is increasingly considered as a vulnerable age group for significant weight gain, and it is apparent that there is an increasing number of new cases of metabolic syndrome developing among this population. This study included 60 young adult volunteers (18-26 years old). All participants obtained a calculated total abdominal fat percentage, subcutaneous fat percentage, and visceral fat percentage using a semiautomatic segmentation technique from T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) images of the abdomen. The results show strongest correlation between abdominal fat and BMI (r = 0.824) followed by subcutaneous fat (r = 0.768), and visceral fat (r = 0.633) respectively, (p < 0.001 for all, after having been adjusted for age and gender). Among anthropometric measurements, waist circumference showed strong correlation with all fat compartments (r = 0.737 for abdominal, r = 0.707 for subcutaneous fat, and r = 0.512 for visceral fat; p < 0.001 for all). The results obtained from examining the blood revealed that there was a moderate positive correlation relationship between all fat compartments with triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein, and fasting glucose levels (p < 0.05 for all). This study suggests that both BMI and waist circumference could be used to assess the fat compartments and treatment targets to reduce the risk of metabolic disorders and health risks in the young adult population.