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Body fat distribution modulates insulin sensitivity in post-menopausal overweight and obese women: a MONET study

International Journal of Obesity volume 32, pages 1626–1632 (2008)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective:

Central fat mass (CFM) correlates with insulin resistance and increases the risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular complications. On the other hand, increased peripheral fat mass (PFM) is associated with higher insulin sensitivity. Thus, we examined the contribution of adipose tissue distribution, as assessed by the PFM/CFM ratio, to insulin sensitivity in overweight and obese postmenopausal women.

Design and methods:

A total of 124 nondiabetic overweight and obese postmenopausal women underwent an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and a hyperinsulinemic/euglycemic (HI) clamp. Body composition was determined using computed tomography for visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and dual X-ray absorptiometry for fat mass, lean body mass and their respective proportions. Participants were divided by tertiles of the PFM/CFM ratio.

Results:

Participants with preferential CFM (group 1) had higher fasting insulin levels and insulin area under the curve (AUC) during OGTT, as well as lower glucose infusion rates during the HI clamp, whether it was expressed per kg of body weight (M) or per kg of fat-free mass (Mm), compared with the other two groups. The PFM/CFM ratio also correlated significantly with fasting insulin (r=−0.32, P<0.001), the insulin AUC (r=−0.42 P<0.001), M (r=0.39 P<0.001) and Mm (r=0.37 P<0.001). Using hierarchical regression, we demonstrated that the PFM/CFM ratio was an independent predictor of insulin AUC, M and Mm and that its sequential addition to CFM and VAT improved significantly the predictive value of the model for insulin sensitivity for all variables except fasting insulin.

Conclusion:

The PFM/CFM ratio, which integrates the antagonistic effects of both central and peripheral depots on insulin sensitivity, added substantially to the prediction of insulin sensitivity over VAT and CFM alone.

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Acknowledgements

Rémi Rabasa-Lhoret holds Fonds de la recherche en santé du Québec (FRSQ) research scholar grants. May Faraj is a recipient of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) New Investigator Award. This study was supported by grants from the CIHR New Emerging Teams in Obesity (Université de Montréal and University of Ottawa; the MONET project) and a CIHR Operating Grant. We thank Lyne Messier for coordinating this study, Miguel Chagnon for his precious advice on statistical analyses and Stéphanie Chevalier for critical reading of the manuscript. The editorial assistance of Mr Ovid Da Silva, Research Support Office, Research Centre, Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM), is acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

    B Tousignant, M Faraj, D Garrel, R Rabasa-Lhoret & L Coderre

  2. Research Center, Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM)–Hôtel-Dieu, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

    M Faraj, D Garrel, R Rabasa-Lhoret & L Coderre

  3. Montreal Diabetes Research Centre, Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM)–Hôtel-Dieu, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

    M Faraj, R Rabasa-Lhoret & L Coderre

  4. Department of Kinesiology, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

    F Conus

  5. Health and Social Services Centre—Sherbrooke Geriatrics University Institute, University of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada

    M Brochu

  6. Faculty of Physical Education and Sports, University of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada

    M Brochu

  7. Department of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

    L Coderre

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  1. B Tousignant
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Correspondence to R Rabasa-Lhoret.

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Tousignant, B., Faraj, M., Conus, F. et al. Body fat distribution modulates insulin sensitivity in post-menopausal overweight and obese women: a MONET study. Int J Obes 32, 1626–1632 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/ijo.2008.163

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ijo.2008.163

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