Racial differences in amounts of visceral adipose tissue in young adults: the CARDIA (coronary artery risk development in young adults) study

Background: In several white populations, visceral adipose tissue (VAT) is a risk factor for development of type 2 diabetes and dyslipidemia. VAT can be accurately assessed by computed topography or magnetic resonance imaging , but is also estimated from anthropometric variables, such as waist-to-hip ratio, waist circumference, or sagittal diameter. To date, anthropometric variables have been used largely in whites and inadequate data are availabl e to evaluate the validity of these variables in other groups. Objectives: The objectives of this study were to 1) determine whether amoun t of VAT in relation to total body fatness differs in different race and se x groups and 2) determine which anthropometric variables predict amount of VAT in different race and sex groups. Design: We determined the amount and location of body fat, including assess ment of VAT by computed tomography, in young adult white and black men and women participating in the 10-y follow-up of the CARDIA (Coronary Artery Ri sk Development in Young Adults) Study. Results: Black men had less visceral fat (73.1 +/- 35.9 cm(2)) than white m en (99.3 +/- 40 cm(2)), even when VAT was corrected for total body fatness. Black women were more obese than white women and thus had more visceral fa t (75.1 +/- 37.5 compared with 58.6 +/- 35.9 cm(2), respectively). This dif ference disappeared when corrected for total body fatness. Conclusions: Both waist circumference and sagittal diameter were good predi ctors of VAT in all groups. However, the nature of this relation differed s uch that race- and sex-specific equations will likely be required to estima te VAT from waist circumference or sagittal diameter.