In vivo imaging of lipid storage and regression in diet-induced obesity during nutrition manipulation.

Changes in adipose tissue distribution and ectopic fat storage in, liver and skeletal muscle tissue impact whole body insulin sensitivity in both humans and experimental animals. Numerous mouse models of obesity, insulin resistance, and diabetes exist; however, current methods to assess mouse phenotypes commonly involve direct harvesting of the tissues of interest, precluding the possibility of repeated measurements in the same animal. In this study, we demonstrate that whole body 3-D imaging of body fat composition can be used to analyze distribution as well as redistribution of fat after intervention by repeated assessment of intrahepatocellular lipids (IHCL), intra-abdominal, subcutaneous, and total adipose tissue (IAT, SAT, and TAT) and brown adipose tissue (BAT). C57BL/6J mice fed a cafeteria diet for 16 wk were compared with mice fed standard chow for 16 wk and mice switched from café diet to standard chow after 12 wk. MRI determinations were made at 9 and 15 wk, and autopsy was performed at 16 wk. There was a strong correlation between MRI-calculated weights in vivo at 15 wk and measured weights at 16 wk ex vivo for IAT (r = 0.99), BAT (r = 0.93), and IHCL (r = 0.97). IHCL and plasma insulin increased steeply relative to body weight at body weights above 45 g. This study demonstrates that the use of 3-D imaging to assess body fat composition may allow substantial reductions in animal usage. The dietary interventions indicated that a marked metabolic deterioration occurred when the mice had gained a certain fat mass.

[Somatotypological characteristics of the development of fat component in students].

Individual typological characteristics were studied in first- and fourth-year female students. It was shown that the dominant somatotype was micromesomatic in the first-year students and macrosomal in the senior students. Body component composition was studied in the examinees. No significant average group differences were found in the absolute and relative body fat content in the students. The somatotype distribution using the weight-height ratio indicated significant differences in fat components in the female representatives of different types of constitution.

[Estimation of fat mass by anthropometric indicators in young people with Down syndrome]. / Estimación de la masa grasa por medio de indicadores antropométricos en jóvenes con síndrome de Down.

INTRODUCTION: Introduction: the assessment of body composition is relevant and useful for designing interventions for healthy lifestyles and nutritional strategies. Objective: our goal was to verify the relationships between adiposity indicators with fat mass (FM), and to validate equations that allow predicting FM in young people with Down syndrome (SD). Methods: a cross-sectional study was carried out in 48 young people with DS (24 men and 24 women). Weight, height, waist circumference (WC), and hip circumference (HC) were evaluated. Body mass index (BMI), body adiposity index (BAI), waist-to-hip index (WHI), and waist-to-height index (WHtR) were calculated. FM was evaluated by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Results: age in men was 19.3 ± 3.0 years, and in women it was 18.9 ± 1.9 years; weight was 73.6 ± 14.3 kg in men and 75.8 ± 20.3 kg in women, and height in men was 168.9 ± 6.5 cm, and in women it was 156.3 ± 6.2 cm. In males the correlations between FM (DXA) with BMI, WC, HC, WHtR, BAI and WHtR ranged from r = 0.01 to r = 0.89, and in females from r = 0.10 to r = 0.97. The highest correlations were observed with BMI and WC in both sexes (males r = 0.78 to 0.92, and females r = 0.83 to 0.97). Regression equations were generated to estimate FM in males (R2 = 84 %) and in females (R2 = 96 %). Percentiles were calculated for MG per DXA and for each equation. Conclusions: there were significant positive correlations between BMI and WC with FM. These indicators were decisive for developing equations that estimate FM in young people with DS. The results suggest its potential use and application to evaluate, classify and monitor body fat levels in clinical and epidemiological contexts.

INTRODUCCIÓN: Introducción: la evaluación de la composición corporal es relevante y útil para diseñar intervenciones de estilos de vida saludables y estrategias nutricionales. Objetivos: verificar las relaciones existentes entre los indicadores de adiposidad y la masa grasa (MG), y validar ecuaciones que permitan predecir la MG en jóvenes con síndrome de Down (SD). Métodos: se efectuó un estudio transversal en 48 jóvenes con SD (24 hombres y 24 mujeres). Se evaluaron el peso, la estatura, la circunferencia de la cintura (CC) y la circunferencia de la cadera (CCa). Se calcularon el índice de masa corporal (IMC), el índice de adiposidad corporal (IAC), el índice cintura-cadera (ICC) y el índice cintura-estatura (ICE). Se evaluó la MG mediante absorciometría de rayos X de doble energía (DXA). Resultados: la edad de los hombres era de 19,3 ± 3,0 años y la de las mujeres de 18,9 ± 1,9 años; el peso era de 73,6 ± 14,3 kg en los hombres y de 75,8 ± 20,3 kg en las mujeres; finalmente, la estatura de los hombres era de 168,9 ± 6,5 cm y la de las mujeres de 156,3 ± 6,2 cm. En los hombres, las correlaciones entre la MG (DXA) y los parámetros IMC, CC, CCa, ICE, IAC e ICE oscilaron entre r = 0,01 y r = 0,89; en las mujeres, entre r = 0,10 y r = 0,97. Las correlaciones más altas se observaron con el IMC y la CC en ambos sexos (hombres, r = 0,78 a 0,92 y mujeres, r = 0,83 a 0,97). Se generaron ecuaciones de regresión para estimar la MG en los hombres (R2 = 84 %) y en las mujeres (R2 = 96 %). Se calcularon los percentiles de MG según la DXA y con cada ecuación. Conclusiones: hubo correlaciones positivas significativas del IMC y la CC con la MG. Estos indicadores fueron determinantes para desarrollar ecuaciones que estiman la MG de los jóvenes con SD. Los resultados sugieren su uso y aplicación para evaluar, clasificar y monitorizar los niveles de adiposidad corporal en contextos clínicos y epidemiológicos.

Visceral fat mass determination in rodent: validation of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and anthropometric techniques in fat and lean rats.

BACKGROUND: Because abdominal obesity is predisposed to various metabolic disorders, it is of major importance to assess and track the changes with time of this specific fat mass. The main issue for clinicians or researchers is to use techniques for assessing abdominal fat deposition and its accumulation or changes over time, without sacrificing of experimental subjects. In the rat, techniques to investigate in-vivo visceral fat mass are lacking. The purpose of the study was to validate indirect Dual-energy X-ray Absorptiometry technique and abdominal circumference measurement as tools to predict visceral adipose tissue in rats.Forty-three Wistar male rats from different body weight, fat mass and ages were included in the study. Visceral fat mass was assessed by weighing the total perirenal and peri-epididymal adipose tissues after dissection. Statistical methods were used to discriminate the best region of interest allowing the in-vivo measure of Central Fat Mass by DXA. Abdominal circumference was measured at the same time as the DXA scan. RESULTS: A region of interest including Central Fat Mass from the whole body DXA scan (extending from L2 to L5 vertebrae), correlated strongly with ex-vivo Fat Mass (r = 0.94, p < 0.001). Abdominal circumference correlated significantly with ex-vivo Fat Mass (r = 0.82, p < 0.001) and Central Fat Mass (0.90, p < 0.001) in the whole group of rats. When dividing the whole group into lean and fat rats, correlations remained significant between Central Fat Mass and ex-vivo Fat Mass but disappeared for the lean group between abdominal circumference and ex-vivo Fat Mass. CONCLUSIONS: This study validates the Central Fat Mass determined by DXA as a non-sacrificial technique to assess visceral fat for in-vivo investigations in rats. The abdominal circumference measure appears useful in studying overweight or obese rats. These two techniques could be convenient tools in follow-up and longitudinal studies.

Perirenal fat thickness measured with computed tomography is a reliable estimate of perirenal fat mass.

Deposition of perirenal adipose tissue has been associated with adverse renal and cardiovascular events. We compared various methods to measure perirenal adipose tissue using computerized tomography (CT)-scan and performed correlations with anthropometric measures associated with renal and cardiovascular events. Voluntary overweight and obese subjects undergoing a CT-scan for diagnostic purposes were included in the study. Perirenal adipose tissue volume, adipose tissue area of the renal sinus and perirenal fat thickness were manually measured bilaterally. The intra- and inter-observer coefficient correlations and the correlation between the diverse measures of renal adipose tissue, subcutaneous (SC-)fat and anthropometrics measures were analyzed using Pearson's correlation tests. The forty included patients (24 men, 16 women) had a mean age of 57.6 ± 18.1 years and a mean body mass index of 28.9 ± 2.9 kg/m2. Despite comparable waist circumference, women had a greater SC-fat thickness compared to men, and therefore a smaller amount of visceral fat, as well as smaller perirenal fat volumes. Perirenal fat thickness was better correlated with perirenal fat volume than adipose area of the renal sinus (p <0.02). The adipose area of the renal sinus did not correlate with any anthropometric measures. In women, perirenal fat volume and thickness showed a negative correlation with SC-fat thickness and no correlation with waist circumference. In men, perirenal fat volume and thickness showed a positive correlation with waist circumference and no correlation with subcutaneous fat thickness. In conclusion, perirenal fat thickness measured with CT-scan at the level of the renal veins is a simple and reliable estimate of perirenal fat volume, that correlated negatively with SC-fat in women and positively with waist circumference in men. The adipose area of the renal sinus did not correlate with any anthropometric measure.

Comparison of Eight Equations That Predict Percent Body Fat Using Skinfolds in American Youth.

BACKGROUND: Skinfolds are often used in equations to predict percent body fat (PBF) in youth. Although there are numerous such equations published, there is limited information to help researchers determine which equation to use for their sample. METHODS: Using data from the 1999-2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES), we compared eight published equations for prediction of PBF. These published equations all included triceps and/or subscapular skinfold measurements. We examined the PBF equations in a nationally representative sample of American youth that was matched by age, sex, and race/ethnicity to the original equation development population and a full sample of 8- to 18-year-olds. We compared the equation-predicted PBF to the dual-emission X-ray absorptiometry (DXA)-measured PBF. The adjusted R(2), root mean square error (RMSE), and mean signed difference (MSD) were compared. The MSDs were used to examine accuracy and differential bias by age, sex, and race/ethnicity. RESULTS: When applied to the full range of 8- 18-year-old youth, the R(2) values ranged from 0.495 to 0.738. The MSD between predicted and DXA-measured PBF indicated high average accuracy (MSD between -1.0 and 1.0) for only three equations (Bray subscapular equation and Dezenberg equations [with and without race/ethnicity]). The majority of the equations showed differential bias by sex, race/ethnicity, weight status, or age. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that investigators should use caution in the selection of an equation to predict PBF in youth given that results may vary systematically in important subgroups.

Subject positioning in the BOD POD® only marginally affects measurement of body volume and estimation of percent body fat in young adult men.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of the study was to evaluate whether subject positioning would affect the measurement of raw body volume, thoracic gas volume, corrected body volume and the resulting percent body fat as assessed by air displacement plethysmography (ADP). METHODS: Twenty-five young adult men (20.7±1.1 y, BMI = 22.5±1.4 kg/m(2)) were measured using the BOD POD® system using a measured thoracic gas volume sitting in a 'forward bent' position and sitting up in a straight position in random order. RESULTS: Raw body volume was 58±124 ml (p<0.05) higher in the 'straight' position compared to the 'bent' position. The mean difference in measured thoracic gas volume (bent-straight = -71±211 ml) was not statistically significant. Corrected body volume and percent body fat in the bent position consequently were on average 86±122 ml (p<0.05) and 0.5±0.7% (p<0.05) lower than in the straight position respectively. CONCLUSION: Although the differences reached statistical significance, absolute differences are rather small. Subject positioning should be viewed as a factor that may contribute to between-test variability and hence contribute to (in)precision in detecting small individual changes in body composition, rather than a potential source of systematic bias. It therefore may be advisable to pay attention to standardizing subject positioning when tracking small changes in PF are of interest. The cause of the differences is shown not to be related to changes in the volume of isothermal air in the lungs. It is hypothesized and calculated that the observed direction and magnitude of these differences may arise from the surface area artifact which does not take into account that a subject in the bent position exposes more skin to the air in the device therefore potentially creating a larger underestimation of the actual body volume due to the isothermal effect of air close to the skin.

Performance evaluation of the electrode configuration in bioelectrical impedance analysis for visceral fat measurement.

Excessive amount of visceral fat is considered as a crucial indicator for the metabolic syndrome (MS). Visceral fat area (VFA) at the umbilicus level measured by CT is adopted as the gold standard, but it has many limitations. Recently, Application of bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) for measuring VFA is widely used. However, the correlation between impedance and VFA is highly dependent on the measurement conditions. Therefore, we evaluate its measurement conditions here. In our experiment, we choose 5 different electrode configurations with changes of current and its frequency for evaluating its performance to distinguish fat and thin group with impedance. Our results indicated that electrode arrangement with fixed waist ratio is better in its performance than fixed distance electrode arrangement. Current electrode on each flank side is better than on the front and rear side. Shorter distance between current electrode and voltage electrode is better than longer distance in its performance. Our experiment results are presented.