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Body Fat Distribution and Insulin Resistance in Healthy Asian Indians and Caucasians
Abstract
Previous studies have shown that Asian Indians (AIs) are insulin resistant and at high risk for developing diabetes and coronary heart disease, compared with Caucasians. To examine whether differences in body fat distribution contribute to this risk, 12 healthy AIs and 12 Caucasians matched for age and body mass index (BMI) underwent a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test, 2-h euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp, abdominal (L2-3) computed tomography scan, and fasting lipid and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) levels. Despite similar fasting plasma glucose levels, AIs exhibited fasting hyperinsulinemia (P = 0.001), higher glucose (P = 0.03) and insulin (P = 0.004) levels during the oral glucose tolerance test, and reduced glucose disposal rate (R(d)) (4.7 +/- 0.4 vs. 7.5 +/- 0.3 mg/kg per min, P < 0.0001) during the clamp. AIs had significantly lower high-density lipoprotein, higher low-density lipoprotein, and significantly higher PAI-1 levels (P = 0.01). Despite similar BMI, AIs had significantly greater total abdominal fat (P = 0.04) and visceral fat (P = 0.04). In all subjects, measures of fat mass were inversely correlated with R(d) during the clamp (r = -0.47 to -0.61, P < 0.01-0.001). Visceral fat mass was correlated with triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein, and high-density lipoprotein (P < 0.002-0.0001). PAI-1 was inversely correlated with R(d) in AIs (r = -0.70, P < 0.01) and not in Caucasians (r = -0.24, P = 0.44). For comparable BMI and age, healthy AIs have physiologic markers for insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, and increased cardiovascular risk, compared with Caucasians. Alterations in body fat distribution--particularly increased visceral fat--may contribute to these abnormalities.
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“Young Indians living in India were found to have more visceral and abdominal fat and reduced glucose disposal rates than Caucasians with matched age and BMI [40].”
From Advantages and Limitations of the Body Mass Index (BMI) to Assess Adult Obesity (2024) · cites this paper as [40]
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Metadata
- Authors
- Raji, A., Seely, E. W., Arky, R. A., & Simonson, D. C.
- Affiliations
- Brigham and Women's Hospital (US)
- Corresponding author
- Raji, Annaswamy
- Venue
- The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism
- Publisher
- The Endocrine Society
- Published
- 2001-11
- Volume
- 86
- Issue
- 11
- Pages
- 5366-5371
- ISSN
- 0021-972X (ISSN-L)
- 1945-7197
- OpenAlex
- W2036168461
- Cited by
- 541
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 16 · 2024: 14 · 2023: 19 · 2022: 15 · 2021: 20 · 2020: 22 · 2019: 23 · 2018: 24 · 2017: 28 · 2016: 25 · 2015: 31 · 2014: 27 · 2013: 35 · 2012: 33
- FWCI
- 6.93
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Center for Research Resources (M01 RR 02635, M01RR002635)
- NIH Clinical Center
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism › Diabetes, Cardiovascular Risks, and Lipoproteins
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism › Adipokines, Inflammation, and Metabolic Diseases
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology (medical) › Body Composition Measurement Techniques
- Keywords
- insulin resistance, body fat distribution, visceral fat, Asian Indians, Caucasians, ethnic differences, hyperinsulinemia, glucose disposal rate, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, dyslipidemia, abdominal fat, cardiovascular risk, diabetes risk
- MeSH terms
- Adipose Tissue, Adult, Aged, Blood Glucose, Female, Glucose Tolerance Test, Humans, India, Insulin Resistance, Lipids, Male, Middle Aged, Reference Values, Tomography, X-Ray Computed, Glucose Clamp Technique, Body Mass Index, Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1, White People
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