Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Age and gender related effects on adipose tissue compartments of subjects with increased risk for type 2 diabetes: a whole body MRI / MRS study

  • Published:
Magnetic Resonance Materials in Physics, Biology and Medicine Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Quantitative measurement of adipose tissue (AT) compartments in the entire body and of lipids in muscle and liver cells by means of MRI and MRS. Assessment of ageand gender related differences in AT compartments and determination of cross-correlations between AT compartments in a heterogeneous cohort at increased risk for metabolic diseases. One hundred and fifty healthy volunteers with increased risk to type 2 diabetes were examined. T1-weighted MRI was applied for whole-body adipose tissue quantification. Adipose tissue compartments were subdivided in lower extremities, trunk (abdominal subcutaneous (SCAT) and visceral (VAT) adipose tissue), and upper extremities. Intrahepatocellular lipids (IHCL) and intramyocellular lipids (IMCL) in tibialis anterior and soleus muscle were determined by volume selective MRS. Females are characterized by lower %VAT (2.8±1.3% vs. 4.6±1.4% ,p<0.001) and higher %SCAT (14.7±3.9% vs. 9.3±2.9% ,p<0.001). There is a strong correlation between %VAT and age (r=0.64/0.60 for females/males), whereas %SCAT remained virtually unchanged in males (r=-0.09) and was only slightly increaseding in females (r =0.30,p<0.01). For IHCL, age related differences were observed in females with significantly increased IHCL in the older women, but not in males. IMCL contents in both muscles were found almost independent of age in both, males and females. Furthermore, VAT and IHCL show significant correlations in both groups. Assessed age and gender related differences, especially the age related significant increase of VAT and IHCL, as well as cross-correlations between different lipid compartments might contribute to a better understanding of the lipid metabolism under normal and pathologic metabolic conditions in humans.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. World Health Organisation (2000) Obesity: preventing and managing the global epidemic. WHO Technical Report Series 894

  2. Hedley AA, Ogden CL, Johnson CL, Carroll MD, Curtin LR, Flegal KM (2004) Prevalence of overweight and obesity among US children, adolescents and adults, 1999–2002. JAMA 291:2847–2850

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Larsson B, Bengtsson C, Bjorntorp P, Lapidus L, Sjostrom L, Svardsudd K, Tibblin G, Wedel H, Welin L, Wilhelmsen L (1992) Is abdominal body fat distribution a major explanation for the sex difference in the incidence of myocardial infarction? The study of men born in 1913 and the study of women, Goteborg, Sweden. Am J Epidemiol 135:266–273

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Carr MC, Brunzell JD (2004) Abdominal obesity and dyslipidemia in the metabolic syndrome: importance of type 2 diabetes and familial combined hyperlipidemia in coronary artery disease risk. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 89:2601–2607

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Miyazaki Y, Glass L, Triplitt C, Wajcberg E, Mandarino LJ, DeFronzo RA (2002) Abdominal fat distribution and peripheral and hepatic insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes mellitus. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 283:E1135–1143

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Perusse L, Despres JP, Lemieux S, Rice T, Rao DC, Bouchard C (1996) Familial aggregation of abdominal visceral fat level: results from the Quebec family study. Metabolism 45:378–382

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Fujimoto WY (1992) The growing prevalence of non-insulin-dependent diabetes in migrant Asian populations and its implications for Asia. Diabetes Res Clin Pract 15:167–183

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Haffner SM, D’Agostino R, Saad MF, Rewers M, Mykkanen L, Selby J, Howard G, Savage PJ, Hamman RF, Wagenknecht LE, Bergman RN (1996) Increased insulin resistance and insulin secretion in nondiabetic African-Americans and Hispanics compared with non-Hispanic whites. The Insulin Resistance Atherosclerosis Study. Diabetes 45:742–748

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Ross R, Leger L, Morris D, de Guise J, Guardo R (1992) Quantification of adipose tissue by MRI: relationship with anthropometric variables. J Appl Physiol 72:787–795

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Thomas EL, Saeed N, Hajnal JV, Brynes A, Goldstone AP, Frost G, Bell JD (1998) Magnetic resonance imaging of total body fat. J Appl Physiol 85:1778–1785

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Schick F, Machann F, Brechtel K, Strempfer A, Klumpp B, Stein DT, Jacob S (2002) MRI of muscular fat. Magn Reson Med 47:720–727

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Huang TY, Chung HW, Wang FN, Ko CW, Chen CY (2004) Fat and water separation in balanced steady-state free precession using the Dixon method. Magn Reson Med 51:243–247

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Goodpaster BH, Kelley DE, Wing RR, Meier A, Thaete FL (1999) Effects of weight loss on regional fat distribution and insulin sensitivity in obesity. Diabetes 48:839–847

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Münzer T, Harman SM, Hees P, Shapiro E, Christmas C, Bellantoni MF, Stevens TE, O’Connor KG, Pabst KM, St Clair C, Sorkin JD, Blackman MR (2001) Effects of GH and/or sex steroid administration on abdominal subcutaneous and visceral fat in healthy aged women and men. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 86:3604–3610

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Janssen I, Hudson R, Fortier A, Ross R (2002) Effects of an energy-restrictive diet with or without exercise on abdominal fat, intermuscular fat, and metabolic risk factors in obese women. Diabetes Care 25:431–438

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Tiikkainen M, Bergholm R, Rissanen A, Aro A, Salminen I, Tamminen M, Teramo K, Yki-Järvinen H (2004) Effects on equal weight loss with orlistat and placebo on body fat and serum fatty acid composition and insulin resistance in obese women. Am J Clin Nutr 79:22–30

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Wagenknecht LE, Langefeld CD, Scherzinger AL, Norris JM, Haffner SM, Saad MF, Bergman RN (2003) Insulin sensitivity, insulin secretion, and abdominal fat: the insulin resistance atherosclerosis study (IRAS) family study. Diabetes 52:2490–2496

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Seppala-Lindroos A, Vehkavaara S, Hakkinen AM, Goto T, Westerbacka J, Sovijarvi A, Halavaara J, Yki-Jarvinen H (2002) Fat accumulation in the liver is associated with defects in insulin suppression of glucose production and serum free fatty acids independent of obesity in normal men. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 87:3023–3028

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Thamer C, Machann J, Haap M, Stefan N, Heller E, Schnodt B, Stumvoll M, Claussen C, Fritsche A, Schick F, Haring H (2004) Intrahepatic lipids are predicted by visceral adipose tissue mass in healthy subjects. Diabetes Care 27:2726–2729

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Jacob S, Machann J, Rett K, Brechtel K, Volk A, Renn W, Maerker E, Matthaei S, Schick F, Claussen CD, Haring HU (1999) Association of increased intramyocellular lipid content with insulin resistance in lean nondiabetic offspring of type 2 diabetic subjects. Diabetes 48:1113–1119

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Krššák M, Petersen KF, Dresner A, DiPietro L, Vogel SM, Rothman DL, Shulman GI, Roden M (1999) Intramyocellular lipid concentrations are correlated with insulin sensitivity in humans: a 1H NMR spectroscopy study. Diabetologia 42:113–116

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Perseghin G, Scifo P, De Cobelli F, Pagliato E, Battezzati A, Arcelloni C, Vanzulli A, Testolin G, Pozza G, Del Maschio A, Luzi L (1999) Intramyocellular triglyceride content is a determinant of in vivo insulin resistance in humans: a 1H-13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy assessment in offspring of type 2 diabetic parents. Diabetes 48:1600–1606

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Virkamaki A, Korsheninnikova E, Seppala-Lindroos A, Vehkavaara S, Goto T, Halavaara J, Hakkinen AM, Yki-Jarvinen H (2001) Intramyocellular lipid is associated with resistance to in vivo insulin actions on glucose uptake, antilipolysis, and early insulin signaling pathways in human skeletal muscle. Diabetes 50:2337–2343

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Thamer C, Machann J, Bachmann O, Haap M, Dahl D, Wietek B, Tschritter O, Niess A, Brechtel K, Fritsche A, Claussen CD, Jacob S, Schick F, Haring HU, Stumvoll M (2003) Intramyocellular lipids: anthropometric determinants and relationships with maximal aerobic capacity and insulin sensitivity. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 88:1785–1791

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Boesch C, Slotboom J, Hoppeler H, Kreis R (1997) In vivo determination of intra-myocellular lipids in human muscle by means of localized H-1-MR-spectroscopy. Magn Reson Med 37:484–493

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Krššák M, Petersen KF, Bergeron R, Price T, Laurent D, Rothman DL, Roden M, Shulman GI (2000) Intramuscular glycogen and intramyocellular lipid utilization during prolonged exercise and recovery in man: a 13 C and 1 H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy study. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 85:748–754

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Brechtel K, Niess AM, Machann J, Rett K, Schick F, Claussen CD, Dickhuth H-H, Häring H-U, Jacob S (2001) Utilisation of intramyocellular lipids (IMCLs) during exercise as assessed by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS). Horm Metab Res 33: 63–66

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Boden G, Lebed B, Schatz M, Homko C, Lemieux S (2001) Effects of acute changes of plasma free fatty acids on intramyocellular fat content and insulin resistance in healthy subjects. Diabetes 50:1612–1617

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Brechtel K, Dahl DB, Machann J, Bachmann OP, Wenzel I, Maier T, Claussen CD, Häring HU, Jacob S, Schick F (2001) Fast elevation of the intramyocellular lipid content in the presence of circulating free fatty acids and hyperinsulinemia: a dynamic 1H-MRS study. Magn Reson Med 45:179–183

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Bachmann OP, Dahl DB, Brechtel K, Machann J, Haap M, Maier T, Loviscach M, Stumvoll M, Claussen CD, Schick F, Haring HU, Jacob S (2001) Effects of intravenous and dietary lipid challenge on intramyocellular lipid content and the relation with insulin sensitivity in humans. Diabetes 50:2579–2584

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Stannard SR, Thompson MW, Fairbairn K, Huard B, Sachinwalla T, Thompson CH (2002) Fasting for 72 h increases intramyocellular lipid content in nondiabetic, physically fit men. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 283:E1185–1191

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Wietek BM, Machann J, Mader I, Thamer C, Haring HU, Claussen CD, Stumvoll M, Schick F (2004) Muscle type dependent increase in intramyocellular lipids during prolonged fasting of human subjects: a proton MRS study. Horm Metab Res 36:639–644

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Lemieux S, Prud’homme D, Bouchard C, Tremblay A, Despres JP (1993) Sex differences in the relation of visceral adipose tissue accumulation to total body fatness. Am J Clin Nutr 58:463–467

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Westerbacka J, Corner A, Tiikkainen M, Tamminen M, Vehkavaara S, Hakkinen AM, Fredriksson J, Yki-Jarvinen H (2004) Women and men have similar amounts of liver and intra-abdominal fat, despite more subcutaneous fat in women: implications for sex differences in markers of cardiovascular risk. Diabetologia 47:1360–1369

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Cree MG, Newcomer BR, Katsanos CS, Sheffield-Moore M, Chinkes D, Aarsland A, Urban R, Wolfe RR (2004) Intramuscular and liver triglycerides are increased in the elderly. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 89:3864–3871

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Tarasów E, Siergiejczyk L, Panasiuk A, Kubas B, Dzienis W, Prokopowicz D, Walecki J (2002) MR proton spectroscopy in liver examinations of healthy individuals in vivo. Med Sci Monit 8:MT36–40

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Vanhamme L, van den Boogaart A, Van Huffel S (1997) Improved method for accurate and efficient quantification of MRS data with use of prior knowledge. J Magn Reson 129:35–43

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Naressi A, Couturier C, Devos JM, Janssen M, Mangeat C, de Beer R, Graveron-Demilly D (2001) Java-based graphical user interface for the MRUI quantitation package. Magma 12:141–152

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Lara-Castro C, Weinsier RL, Hunter GR, Desmond R (2002) Visceral adipose tissue in women: longitudinal study of the effects of fat gain, time, and race. Obes Res 10:868–874.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Goodpaster BH, Thaete FL, Simoneau J-A, Kelley DE (1997) Subcutaneous abdominal fat and thigh muscle composition predict insulin sensitivity independently of visceral fat. Diabetes 46:1579–1585

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Enzi G, Gasparo M, Biondetti PR, Fiore D, Semisa M, Zurlo F (1986) Subcutaneous and visceral fat distribution according to sex, age and overweight, evaluated by computed tomography. Am J Clin Nutr 44:739–746

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  42. Bouchard C, Despres JP, Mauriege P (1993) Genetic and nongenetic determinants of regional fat distribution. Endocr Rev 14:72–93

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  43. Thamer C, Machann J, Tschritter O, Haap M, Wietek B, Dahl D, Bachmann O, Fritsche A, Jacob S, Stumvoll M, Schick F, Haring HU (2002) Relationship between Serum Adiponectin Concentration and Intramyocellular Lipid Stores in Humans. Horm Metab Res 34: 646–649

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  44. Machann J, Haring H, Schick F, Stumvoll M (2004) Intramyocellular lipids and insulin resistance. Diabetes Obes Metab 6:239–248

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to J. Machann.

Additional information

Supported through a grant from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, KFO 114/1)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Machann, J., Thamer, C., Schnoedt, B. et al. Age and gender related effects on adipose tissue compartments of subjects with increased risk for type 2 diabetes: a whole body MRI / MRS study. MAGMA 18, 128–137 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10334-005-0104-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10334-005-0104-x

Keywords

Navigation