Visceral fat thickness measured by ultrasonography can estimate not only visceral obesity but also risks of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases.

BACKGROUND

Visceral obesity is closely associated with cardiovascular disease and the metabolic syndrome. Estimating the amount of visceral fat is important and requires a straightforward, reliable, and practical method.

OBJECTIVE

We investigated whether visceral fat thickness (VFT) measured by ultrasonography can adequately assess visceral fat accumulation and predict cardiovascular or metabolic diseases.

DESIGN

Diabetic patients (240 men and 106 women) underwent ultrasonography to estimate visceral fat accumulation.

RESULTS

The visceral adipose tissue area had the best correlation with VFT (r = 0.799, P < 0.001). VFT correlated with HDL-cholesterol, triacylglycerol, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein concentrations, the homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance, and the intima-media thickness at the common carotid artery (r = -0.30, 0.39, 0.34, 0.31, and 0.33, respectively; P < 0.05) in men and with triacylglycerol and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein concentrations and the homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (r = 0.33, 0.44, and 0.30, respectively; P < 0.05) in women. Men in the middle and high VFT tertiles had a higher odds ratio (OR) of coronary artery disease [ORs: 4.48 (95% CI: 1.29, 5.51) and 2.04 (1.06, 3.94), respectively; P = 0.016], hypertriacylglycerolemia [ORs: 2.87 (1.41, 5.86) and 1.91 (1.24, 2.95), respectively; P = 0.003], and the metabolic syndrome [ORs: 3.38 (1.61, 7.10) and 1.95 (1.16, 3.27), respectively; P = 0.003] than did those in the low tertile, after adjustment for age, waist circumference, and body mass index.

CONCLUSION

VFT might be a reliable index for assessing the amount of visceral fat and for identifying diabetic patients, particularly men, who are at high risk of cardiovascular disease.