Interrelationships Among Accumulations of Intra- and Periorgan Fats, Visceral Fat, and Subcutaneous Fat

Diabetes. 2024 Jul 1;73(7):1122-1126. doi: 10.2337/db24-0035.

Abstract

We aimed to clarify the relationship between intra- and periorgan fats, visceral fat, and subcutaneous fat. We used abdominal computed tomography to evaluate intra- and periorgan fat accumulations in the pancreas, liver, spleen, renal parenchyma, renal sinus, and skeletal muscle. The relationships between these fats, visceral fat, and subcutaneous fat were examined by using partial correlation and covariance analysis, adjusting for BMI. We found that visceral fat and all intra- and periorgan fat accumulations were positively correlated, whereas subcutaneous fat and accumulations of all intra- and periorgan fats and visceral fat were negatively correlated. Individuals with excessive visceral fat accumulation had significantly greater accumulations of fat in the pancreas, liver, renal sinus, and skeletal muscle than those without excessive visceral fat accumulation (P = 0.01, 0.006, 0.008, and 0.02, respectively). In conclusion, all intra- and periorgan fat accumulations show a positive correlation with visceral fat and a negative correlation with subcutaneous fat, independent of BMI.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Body Mass Index
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Intra-Abdominal Fat* / diagnostic imaging
  • Intra-Abdominal Fat* / metabolism
  • Kidney / diagnostic imaging
  • Kidney / metabolism
  • Liver / diagnostic imaging
  • Liver / metabolism
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Muscle, Skeletal / diagnostic imaging
  • Muscle, Skeletal / metabolism
  • Pancreas / diagnostic imaging
  • Pancreas / metabolism
  • Spleen* / diagnostic imaging
  • Spleen* / metabolism
  • Subcutaneous Fat* / diagnostic imaging
  • Subcutaneous Fat* / metabolism
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed*