Body fat distribution in white and black women: different patterns of intraabdominal and subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue utilization with weight loss

Background: Intraabdominal adipose tissue (IAAT) is the body fat depot most strongly related to disease risk. Weight reduction is advocated for overwe ight people to reduce total body fat and IAAT, although little is known abo ut the effect of weight loss on abdominal fat distribution in different rac es. Objective: We compared the effects of diet-induced weight loss on changes i n abdominal fat distribution in white and black women. Design: We studied 23 white and 23 black women, similar in age and body com position, in the overweight state [mean body mass index (BMI; in kg/ml): 28 .8] and the normal-weight state (mean BMI: 24.0) and 38 never-overweight co ntrol women (mean BMI: 23.4). We measured total body fat by using a 4-compa rtment model, trunk fat by using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, and cros s-sectional areas of IAAT (at the fourth and fifth lumbar vertebrae) and su bcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue (SAAT) by using computed tomography. Results: Weight loss was similar in white and black women (13.1 and 12.6 ka , respectively), as were losses of total fat, trunk fat, and waist circumfe rence. However, white women lost more IAAT (P < 0.001) and less SAAT (P < 0 .03) than did black women. Fat patterns regressed toward those of their res pective control groups. Changes in waist circumference correlated with chan ges in IAAT in white women (r = 0.54, P < 0.05) but not in black women (r = 0.19, NS). Conclusions: Despite comparable decreases in total and trunk fat, white wom en lost more IAAT and less SAAT than did black women. Waist circumference w as not a suitable surrogate marker for tracking changes in the visceral fat compartment in black women.