Sex and genetic effects on upper and lower body fat and associations with diabetes in multigenerational families of African heritage

An association between abdominal adiposity and insulin resistance is well-established. Recent research indicates that subcutaneous fat accumulation in the lower body may be associated with higher levels of insulin sensitivity. Hypothesis: This pilot study tested the hypothesis that the distribution of body fat in the lower body after pregnancy is negatively associated with gestational insulin resistance. Methods: In 32 nulliparous pregnant women (age 27±4.5, BMI 29.5±7.9, 69% non-hispanic white), the Homeostasis Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) was computed from fasting glucose and insulin at 24-28 weeks gestation. Body composition was assessed at mid-gestation (18-20 weeks) and at four weeks post-partum. Total body fat was estimated via bioelectrical impedance (InBody 720) and skinfold thicknesses were measured at seven sites. Dual-energy xray absorptiometry (DXA) measures of regional fat (gynoid, visceral, and leg) were obtained post-partum only. Gestational weight gain was monitored by medical records. Partial correlation analyses were controlled for age and race and then analyses were repeated controlling for baseline (mid-gestation) body fat percent. HOMA-IR was log-transformed for normality. Results: HOMA-IR was associated with post-partum body fat ( r =0.45, p < .05) and adiposity in the trunk region ( r =0.58, 0.57 and 0.52 for DXA visceral fat, suprailiac skinfold, and abdominal skinfold, respectively, p < .01), but not with gestational weight gain ( r =.07, p = ns), DXA gynoid region ( r = 0.26, p = ns), or any other leg measure. When analyses were further controlled for baseline body fat, post-partum measures of lower-body adiposity were strongly and negatively correlated with HOMA-IR ( r = -0.66, -0.48, and -0.48 for thigh skinfold, DXA gynoid, and DXA leg, respectively, p < .05 for all). Neither DXA visceral fat ( r = .23; p = ns) nor any other post-partum fat measures were associated with HOMA-IR when controlling for baseline body fat. Conclusions: Gestational insulin resistance was negatively associated with post-partum thigh fat accumulation, independent of overall body fat. These data indicate that insulin sensitivity may be associated with the ability to store fat in the lower body and should warrant further study of subcutaneous leg fat as a metabolically “healthy” storage depot.

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A Comparison of Somatic Variables of Elite Ice Hockey Players from the Czech ELH and Russian KHL

Journal of Human Kinetics ◽

10.1515/hukin-2015-0019 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 45 (1) ◽

pp. 187-195 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Petr Kutáč ◽

Martin Sigmund

Keyword(s):

Body Composition ◽

Body Mass ◽

Body Fat ◽

Body Height ◽

Ice Hockey ◽

Fat Free Mass ◽

Lower Body ◽

Hockey Players ◽

Anthropometric Characteristics ◽

Morphological Variables

Abstract The goals of this study were to evaluate the basic morphological variables of contemporary elite ice hockey players, compare the parameters of players in the top Russian ice hockey league (KHL) with those of the top Czech ice hockey league (ELH), and to evaluate the parameters of players according to their position in the game. The research participants included 30 KHL players (mean age: 27.1 ± 5.1 years) and 25 ELH players (mean age: 26.4 ± 5.8 years). We determined body height, body mass, and body composition (body fat, fat-free mass, segmental fat analysis). All measurements were performed at the end of preseason training. The KHL players had the following anthropometric characteristics: body height 182.97 ± 5.61 cm (forward) and 185.72 ± 3.57 cm (defenseman), body mass 89.70 ± 5.28 kg (forward) and 92.52 ± 4.01 kg (defenseman), body fat 10.76 ± 0.63 kg (forward) and 11.10 ± 0.48 kg (defenseman), fatfree mass 78.94 ± 4.65 kg (forward) and 81.42 ± 3.52 kg (defenseman). The values for ELH players were as follows: body height 182.06 ± 5.93 cm (forward) and 185.88 ± 7.13 cm (defenseman), body mass 88.47 ± 7.06 kg (forward) and 89.36 ± 10.91 kg (defenseman), body fat 12.57 ± 2.89 kg (forward) and 11.91 ± 3.10 kg (defenseman), fat-free mass 75.93 ± 6.54 kg (forward) and 77.46 ± 7.89 kg (defenseman). The results indicate that it is beneficial to ice hockey players to have increased body mass and lower body fat, which leads to higher muscle mass, thus enabling a player to perform at the highest level and meet the specific challenges of the game.

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Abstract MP028: Physical Activity Relates to Lower Visceral Adiposity in Children and Adolescents

Circulation ◽

10.1161/circ.125.suppl_10.amp028 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 125 (suppl_10) ◽

Author(s):

Amanda E Staiano ◽

Stephanie T Broyles ◽

Alok K Gupta ◽

Peter T Katzmarzyk

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Adipose Tissue ◽

Children And Adolescents ◽

Body Fat ◽

Vigorous Physical Activity ◽

Regular Physical Activity ◽

Self Report ◽

Percent Body Fat ◽

Lower Body ◽

Body Fat Percent

Introduction: Expansion of visceral adipose tissue (VAT) associates with adverse metabolic changes. While regular moderate-to-vigorous activity is associated with lower total body fat in children and adolescents, it is unknown how physical activity relates to other adiposity indices, including VAT. Hypothesis: We hypothesized that regular physical activity in children and adolescents associates with lower body fat, percent body fat, abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT), and VAT. Methods: The sample included 393 boys and girls aged 5–18 years (45.6% White, 50.6% African American, and 3.8% Other). Body fat and percent body fat were measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Abdominal SAT and VAT mass were measured by magnetic resonance imaging between the highest point of the liver and the lower pole of the right kidney (using 5 to 8 cross-sectional slices, 4.76 cm apart). Participants were categorized as being regularly active by self-report: moderate-to-vigorous physical activity of ≥ 60 minutes/day, ≥ 4 days/week. Those who were physically active fewer than 4 days/week were categorized as not regularly active. Results: In this sample of children and adolescents, 45.6% of participants were regularly active. One-way ANCOVAs adjusted for age and sex demonstrated that regularly active youth had significantly less body fat (p<0.01) and lower percent body fat (p<0.01) than those who were not regularly active. One-way ANCOVAs adjusted for age, gender, and body fat, revealed that regularly active children and adolescents had no difference in SAT but had significantly lower amounts of VAT (p<0.05) when compared to those who were not regularly active. Conclusion: Engagement in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity for at least 60 minutes on four or more days of the week in children and adolescents was related to lower body fat, percent body fat and VAT, when compared to those youth who were less active. The promotion of regular physical activity has significant public health implications for body fat accumulation and for controlling excess VAT during childhood and adolescence.

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