Measures of fat distribution as determinants of serum lipids in healthy volunteers consuming a uniform standardized diet

The relation was investigated between body fat topology and serum lipoproteins in healthy, nonobese men and women. Twenty-four men and 24 women consumed a standardized affluent diet for 17 days. Serum was obtained after 14 and 17 days. Regression coefficients of lipids and lipoproteins with age, body mass index, measures of fat distribution, and estimates of fat areas at a cross-section of the body at the level of the umbilicus, were calculated. Waist-to-thigh circumference ratio proved to be the strongest correlate of serum lipids compared with other measures of fat distribution. Upon multiple regression analysis, the waist-to-thigh ratio proved to be a stronger predictor of total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and triglyceride levels in men than either age or body mass index. In women this was only true for HDL3-cholesterol. In addition, no significant relations were observed any more of age and body mass index with these serum lipids, with the exception of age for IDL-cholesterol in men. Estimates of intra-abdominal fat area showed in general a stronger correlation with serum lipids than estimates of subcutaneous fat area. It is concluded that, in non-obese subjects, fat distribution is a stronger determinant of serum lipids than either body mass index or age.