Obesity and the metabolic syndrome: The San Antonio Heart Study

Obesity, especially visceral adiposity, is a major determinant of the devel opment of type 2 diabetes. Both visceral adiposity and insulin resistance a re strongly related to cardiovascular risk factors in diabetic and non-diab etic subjects. One of the areas where the correlation between visceral fat (upper body adiposity) and cardiovascular risk is most apparent is the pred iabetic state. We have recently shown that only prediabetic subjects (those who later develop type 2 diabetes) who are insulin resistant and with uppe r body adiposity have increased triglycerides, decreased HDL cholesterol an d high blood pressure.