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Fat distribution and mortality: The AGES‐Reykjavik study
Author(s) -
Koster Annemarie,
Murphy Rachel A.,
Eiriksdottir Gudny,
Aspelund Thor,
Sigurdsson Sigurdur,
Lang Thomas F.,
Gudnason Vilmundur,
Launer Lenore J.,
Harris Tamara B.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
obesity
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.438
H-Index - 199
eISSN - 1930-739X
pISSN - 1930-7381
DOI - 10.1002/oby.21028
Subject(s) - medicine , intra abdominal fat , overweight , obesity , diabetes mellitus , cardiology , endocrinology , insulin resistance , visceral fat
Objective This study examined associations of regional fat depots with all‐cause mortality over 11 years of follow‐up. Methods Data were from 2,187 men and 2,900 women, aged 66‐96 years in the AGES‐Reykjavik Study. Abdominal visceral fat and subcutaneous fat and thigh intermuscular fat and subcutaneous fat were measured by CT. Results In men, every standard deviation (SD) increment in thigh intermuscular fat was related to a significantly greater mortality risk (HR: 1.17, 95% CI: 1.08‐1.26) after adjustment for age, education, smoking, physical activity, alcohol, BMI, type 2 diabetes, and coronary heart disease. In women, visceral fat (per SD increment) significantly increased mortality risk (HR: 1.13, 95% CI: 1.03‐1.25) while abdominal subcutaneous fat (per SD increment) was associated with a lower mortality risk (HR: 0.70, 95% CI: 0.61‐0.80). Significant interactions with BMI were found in women, indicating that visceral fat was a strong predictor of mortality in obese women while abdominal and thigh subcutaneous fat were associated with a lower mortality risk in normal‐weight and overweight women. Conclusions Fat distribution is associated with mortality over 11 years of follow‐up independent of overall fatness. The divergent mortality risks for visceral fat and subcutaneous fat in women suggest complex relationships between overall fatness and mortality.