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Abstract
Previous studies have shown differences between African-American and Caucasian populations
in the prevalence of obesity and obesity-related diseases such as type II diabetes.
The purpose of this study was(1) to compare the insulin sensitivity index (S1) from the minimal model in 37 African-American and 22 Caucasian women matched for
age and obesity, and (2) to determine whether the relationship between intraabdominal
fat distribution and S1 (and other health risk factors) was similar in both races. To address the second
question, intraabdominal fat distribution was assessed by computed tomographic (CT)
scans in a subset of 23 African-American and 15 Caucasian women. Despite having a
similar body mass index ([BMI] weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared)
and waist to hip ratio (WHR), African-American wome had a mean S1 value that was approximately 36% lower than in the Caucasian women (3.45 ± 0.42 v 5.40 ± 0.55 × 10−5 min−1/pmol · L, P = .007). Visceral fat area was smaller in African-American women (98.0 ± 8.5 cm2) than in Caucasian women (117.3 ± 12.4 cm2) despite similar BMI and WHR. Visceral fat area was strongly correlated with WHR
in the Caucasian women (r = .76, P < .001), as previously observed, but not in the African-American women (r = .24, NS). WHR was significantly correlated with fasting insulin and serum cholesterol
in the Caucasian women but not in the African-Americans. Visceral fat was correlated
with metabolic risk factors in both groups, but subcutaneous abdominal fat was significantly
correlated with S1 and fasting insulin only in the African-American women. These results suggest that
the relationship between body fat distribution and health risk factors may be different
in African-Americans and Caucasians. Additionally, reduced insulin senitivity in African-American
women may in part explain the high diabetes rate in this population.
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
March 28,
1996
Received:
November 16,
1995
Footnotes
☆Supported by a grant from the American Diabetes Association.
Identification
Copyright
© 1996 Published by Elsevier Inc.
