Location
of Body Fat Affects Heart Risk in Women
New research shows that the presence
of fat within the abdominal wall can indicate the extent of a condition
called metabolic syndrome in obese, postmenopausal women, according
to a report in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
The new findings could help
physicians identify health risks in aging women.
According to the American
Heart Association (AHA), metabolic syndrome has become increasingly
common in the US. It is estimated that about 47 million adults
have this condition.
The AHA
states that the syndrome is linked with a generalized metabolic disorder
called insulin resistance, in which the body cannot use insulin efficiently.
This is why metabolic syndrome is also called insulin resistance syndrome.
Some people are genetically
predisposed to insulin resistance. Acquired factors, such as excess
body fat and physical inactivity, can elicit insulin resistance and
the metabolic syndrome in these people.
The biologic mechanisms at
the molecular level between insulin resistance and metabolic risk factors
are not fully understood, reports the AHA.
Risk
Factors To Consider
Research has shown that obesity
is linked to metabolic syndrome, which has several known risk factors
including high cholesterol, high blood pressure, increased levels of
fasting glucose (a sugar in blood and a source of energy), and an increase
in waist circumference.
Yet, not all obese individuals
present all of these symptoms. Following menopause, many women experience
a natural increase in obesity, particularly around their intra-abdominal
area, which refers to fat that is stored in and around the internal
organs.
As a result, it can be difficult
for physicians to detect metabolic syndrome in these patients.
Dr. Barbara Nicklas, a researcher
at Wake Forest University and the University of Maryland School of Medicine,
sought to determine whether specific criteria can be used to determine
the existence and severity of metabolic syndrome.
To do this, her team evaluated
the presence of metabolic syndrome by testing aerobic capacity, body
composition, body fat distribution, and inflammation in 58 obese, postmenopausal
women between the ages of 50 and 70 years.
Metabolic syndrome, which
was indicated by three or more characteristics defined in the Third
Report of the National Cholesterol Education Program,
was found in 27 women (47 percent).
By examining the characteristics
in all of the women, Dr. Nicklas discovered that lean mass, intra-abdominal
fat, and a circulating biomarker of inflammation were significantly
higher in women with metabolic syndrome.
Findings
Bring Needed Attention
Additionally, Dr. Nicklas
and her team found that these three characteristics were independently
related to the severity of metabolic syndrome in the women.
"There are many existing
questions about the health risks of obesity in postmenopausal women,"
says Dr Nicklas. "Our findings confirm that specific characteristics,
particularly intra-abdominal fat, are important in determining the presence
of metabolic syndrome in these women.
"We have also shown, for
the first time, that specific characteristics, such as intra-abdominal
fat, can indicate the severity of metabolic syndrome," she explains. "This
information should help physicians evaluate the health risks for
postmenopausal women and design a treatment plan to lessen the women's
risk. "
Always consult your physician
for more information.
|
December 2004
Location
of Body Fat Affects Heart Risk in Women
Risk
Factors To Consider
Findings
Bring Needed Attention
What
Is Metabolic Syndrome?
Online
Resources
Other
Resources:
Find a St. John's Mercy
Physician
Women's Services at St. John's
Mercy
Women's Health
Information
St. John's Mercy Classes and
Programs
What
Is Metabolic Syndrome?
According to the
American Heart Association, metabolic syndrome is characterized
by a group of metabolic risk factors in one person.
These risk factors include:
-
Central obesity
(excessive fat tissue in and around the abdomen)
-
Atherogenic
dyslipidemia (blood fat disorders - mainly high triglycerides and
low HDL cholesterol - that foster plaque buildups in artery
walls)
-
Raised blood
pressure (130/85 mmHg or higher)
-
Insulin resistance
or glucose intolerance (the body cannot properly use insulin or
blood sugar)
-
Prothrombotic
state (such as high fibrinogen or plasminogen activator inhibitor
[–1] in the blood)
-
Proinflammatory
state (such as elevated high-sensitivity C-reactive protein in the
blood)
The underlying causes
of this syndrome are overweight/obesity, physical inactivity, and genetic
factors.
People with metabolic
syndrome are at increased risk of coronary heart disease, other diseases
related to plaque buildups in artery walls (such as stroke and peripheral
vascular disease), and type 2 diabetes.
Always consult your
physician for more information.
Online
Resources
American
Heart Association
American
Diabetes Association
Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
EverydayChoices.Org
HealthierUS.Gov
National
Cholesterol Education Program
National
Institutes of Health (NIH)
National
Library of Medicine
National
Women's Health Information Center
Office
of Research on Women's Health
US
Public Health Service
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