RELATIONSHIP OF INTRAABDOMINAL FAT AS MEASURED BY MAGNETIC-RESONANCE-IMAGING TO POSTPRANDIAL LIPEMIA IN MIDDLE-AGED SUBJECTS

Adipose distribution has been associated with coronary artery disease and its risk factors. We previously described an association between postprandial triglyceride response (pptg response) to a standard high-fat meal and extracranial carotid atherosclerosis. This study was designed to evaluate the association between intraabdominal fat and pptg response. Twenty-nine subjects were recalled for determination of intraabdominal fat by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Fat was quantified according to an inversion recovery protocol previously validated and the cross-sectional area of intraabdominal fat at the umbilicus was analyzed as an independent variable. We observed a strong independent correlation between intraabdominal fat and pptg response to a fatty meal (r = 0.521, P < 0.05). Baseline triglyceride was also independently correlated with postprandial triglycerides (r = 0.631, P < 0.05). In univariate analysis, intraabdominal fat was correlated with age, sex, body mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), and dietary saturated fatty acids. The association with age and BMI persisted in multivariate analyses.