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Leisure‐time physical activity and intra‐abdominal fat in young adulthood: A monozygotic co‐twin control study
Author(s) -
Rottensteiner Mirva,
Leskinen Tuija,
JärveläReijonen Elina,
Väisänen Karoliina,
Aaltonen Sari,
Kaprio Jaakko,
Kujala Urho M.
Publication year - 2016
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.21465
Subject(s) - medicine , monozygotic twin , young adult , body mass index , abdominal fat , cohort , twin study , population , abdomen , subcutaneous fat , endocrinology , physiology , adipose tissue , surgery , obesity , biology , heritability , genetics , environmental health
Objective To investigate differences in abdominal fat compartments between young adult monozygotic twin pairs discordant for leisure‐time physical activity. Methods Ten young adult male monozygotic twin pairs (age range 32‐36 years) discordant for leisure‐time physical activity during the past 3 years were systematically selected from a population‐based Finnish twin cohort. Magnetic resonance image at the level of the L2‐L3 intervertebral disc was used to predict intra‐abdominal and subcutaneous abdominal fat masses. Dietary intake was assessed with a 4‐day food diary. Results Inactive twins had 31% more intra‐abdominal fat than their active co‐twins (mean difference 0.52 kg, 95% CI 0.12 to 0.91, P = 0.016), whereas the difference in subcutaneous abdominal fat was only 13% ( P = 0.21) and 3% in body mass index ( P = 0.28). Intraperitoneal fat mass was 41% higher among inactive twins compared to their active co‐twins (mean difference 0.41 kg, 95% CI 0.11 to 0.70, P = 0.012). Dietary intake did not differ between co‐twins. Conclusions A lower level of physical activity is related to greater accumulation of intra‐abdominal fat among healthy adult males in their mid‐30s. The findings highlight the importance of leisure‐time physical activity independent of genes and diet in the prevention of intra‐abdominal fat accumulation from early adulthood onward.