[Effect of body fat distribution on plasma lipids and oxidative stress in women aged 35 to 50 years].

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effect of body fat composition and distribution on plasma lipid profile and oxidative stress in middle-aged women.

METHODS

181 healthy Chinese women (age ranged from 35 to 50 years) were recruited. Their body fat mass and distribution were measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). The oxidative status were evaluated by determination of serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), Glutathione peroxidase (GR) and Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and the plasma lipids, including total cholesterol (TC) and Triglycerides (TG) were also measured.

RESULTS

(1) Plasma TG and TC levels and serum TNF-alpha levels were significantly higher in overweight and obese women, while serum SOD and GR activity were significantly in these 2 groups, compared to normal-weight women. (2) Serum SOD and GR activity decreased, and TNF-alpha level increased with body mass index (BMI) and abdominal fat mass, as shown by linear correlation analysis. No correlation was found between serum oxidative indices, lipids and total body and subcutaneous fat. (3) The percentage of abdominal fat mass had positive correlations with the SOD and GR, and negative correlations with TNF-alpha. Whereas the percentage of subcutaneous fat mass did not have correction relationship with TNF-alpha, SOD, GR, but had negative correlation with TG and TC. (4) By the partial correlations analysis, abdominal fat mass were found to be negatively correlated with serum SOD and GR, and positively correlated with serum TNF-alpha.

CONCLUSION

Abdominal fat accumulation could be the marker of the oxidative stress and would elevate serum triglycerides and total cholesterols.