88
The Role of Visceral Adiposity in the Metabolic Phenotype of multi-ethnic South-East Asian population

Abstract

Background

Ethnic Asians are known to exhibit worse metabolic phenotypes as compared to Caucasians despite lower body mass index^{1, 2}. Ethnic South-Asians and Malays were also found to display greater insulin resistance than Chinese³. One potential biological mechanism for this phenomenon is the inter-ethnic differences in the visceral adiposity deposition⁴. Here we hypothesised that visceral adiposity contributes to ethnic differences in metabolic phenotype more than subcutaneous adiposity.

Methods

We quantified total, subcutaneous and visceral adipose deposition (BMI, waist circumferences, Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry [DEXA]) and metabolic phenotypes (blood pressure, fasting glucose and lipid profile, HbA1c) in 3403 participants. Analyses were adjusted for age, and sex.

Results

Participants were 40.6% male, mean age 49.7±11.4 years, Chinese: Malays: South-Asians in 72:9:19 ratio. Ethnic Malays and South-Asians had raised blood pressure, fasting glucose, triglycerides, HbA1c, reduced HDL, and higher total and visceral fat than Chinese (P < 0.001), independent of covariates. Increased adiposity was strongly associated with poorer metabolic phenotype (all P < 0.0001), with strongest associations found amongst visceral Fat Mass Index (□□95%CI]=0.48[0.20;0.23]) and android/gynoid ratio (□[95%CI]=0.55[1.31;1.63]) with triglycerides levels. Visceral adiposity contributed 17-40% (all P < 0.0001) to the variance in the associations of ethnic Malays and South-Asians with metabolic phenotypes, 3-7% higher than subcutaneous adiposity.

Conclusions

Visceral adiposity contributes to poorer metabolic phenotype in ethnic Malays and South Asians as compared to Chinese.

Key messages

Visceral adiposity expansion is an important determinant of metabolic health in Asian populations.