Body fat mass distribution. Influence on metabolic and atherosclerotic parameters in non-insulin dependent diabetics and obese subjects with and without impaired glucose tolerance. Influence of weight reduction.

Due to the recent knowledge that the distribution of fat deposits would be a better predictor of cardiovascular disease than the degree of obesity, some risk factors for atherosclerosis were evaluated in middle age type II male diabetics and in obese subjects with and without glucose intolerance. In non-insulin dependent diabetes, abdominal adiposity reflected by the waist/hip-circumference (WHR) was related to parameters of metabolic control, lipid parameters, blood rheology, insulin status, hypertension and known vascular complications in three different groups. In the groups with abdominal obesity, the mean annual HbA1 is significantly (p less than 0.01) higher than the group without an abdominal fat mass distribution. Atherogenic index is significantly increased in the group with the highest WHR. HDL-cholesterol levels are significantly decreased in both groups with upper body fat distribution. A highly significant (p less than 0.001) correlation was present between WHR and HDL-cholesterol and WHR and total/HDL-cholesterol ratio; this significant correlation remains after correction for body mass index. Whole blood and plasma viscosity and fibrinogen levels are significantly (p less than 0.05) increased in diabetics with upper body fat accumulation and could be compared to patients with proven coronary ischemic heart disease. The frequency of peripheral vascular disease, coronary ischemic heart disease and hypertension is most prominent in diabetics with an abdominal fat mass distribution. Systolic blood pressure even seems to be increased in non-obese diabetics with the highest WHR. A correlation could be found between WHR and both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. When corrected for body mass index the same significant correlation between WHR and blood pressure remained. Both fasting and postprandial insulin and C-peptide values may be the link between abdominal fat deposits and all metabolic disturbances. These results confirm the negative effect of an excess of abdominally located fat cells, even without manifest obesity, on diabetes metabolic control, lipid fractions, hypertension, insulin behaviour, blood rheology and cardiovascular complications. In obese patients with upper body fat accumulation a higher prevalence of glucose intolerance and diabetes is present, in contrast to their counterparts with lower body fat deposit. Both fasting glycemia, insulin and insulin area are significantly (p less than 0.005) increased in the group with the greatest WHR.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)