HEALTH CONSEQUENCES OF FAT DISTRIBUTION

Body fat distribution is now recognized as an important predictor of t he adverse health consequences of obesity, Upper body obesity, especia lly with increasing visceral fat, is associated with hypertension, ins ulin resistance, dyslipidemia, type II diabetes mellitus and premature coronary death, Several lines of evidence suggest that abnormal adipo se tissue lipolysis, resulting in elevated free fatty acid (FFA) avail ability, may contribute to some of the metabolic consequences of upper body obesity. The vast majority of the elevated systemic FFA release appears to come from upper body, non-splanchnic adipose tissue. Thus, dysregulation of upper body, non-splanchnic adipose tissue lipolysis m ay play an important role in contributing to health consequences of fa t distribution.