Liječnički vjesnik, Vol. 133 No. 7-8, 2011.
Review article
VISCERAL OBESITY
Mirko Koršić
Kristina Fišter
Davor Ivanković
Jozo Jelčić
Abstract
Some studies indicate that visceral obesity may be a better predictor of morbidity and mortality related to cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes than general obesity measured by the body mass index. A causal relationship seems to exist between the accumulation of visceral fat and occurence of cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes. Assessment of cardiometabolic risk comprises information on intra-abdominal obesity, as well as traditional risk factors. Visceral fat acts as a large endocrine gland, excreting cytokines and adipokines which leads to insulin resistance and proinflammatory state, whereas subcutaneous fat may act as a protective metabolic sink. Of anthropometric measures, waist circumference seems to best correlate with visceral fat.
Keywords
Obesity, abdominal – complications; Cardiovascular diseases – etiology; Diabetes mellitus, type 2 – etiology; Intra-abdominal fat – physiopathology; Waist circumference
Hrčak ID:
171843
URI
Publication date:
31.8.2011.
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