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Leg fat might be more protective than arm fat in relation to lipid profile

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European Journal of Nutrition Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

The objective of this study was to determine the independent relationships of trunk fat, leg fat and arm fat to cardiovascular (CVD) risk factors, after controlling for relevant confounders such as fat mass index, cardiorespiratory fitness and objectively measured physical activity.

Methods

This is a cross-sectional study involving 683 university students, aged 18–30 years. Total and regional body fat distribution was measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. The associations of trunk, leg and arm fat with CVD risk factors (triglycerides-TG-, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol-HDL-c-, TG/HDL-c ratio, HOMAIR, mean arterial pressure, C-reactive protein) were examined using regression linear models, controlling for age, sex, fat mass index [total body fat(kg)/height(m2)], maximal oxygen consumption and physical activity by accelerometer.

Results

After controlling for fat mass index, and other confounders, higher levels of trunk fat were found to be associated with a poorer lipid profile, while higher levels of leg fat were found to be associated with a better lipid profile. We did not find any association between arm fat and lipid profile after controlling for total fatness and other confounders. Neither trunk, leg or arm fat was found to be related to insulin resistance, blood pressure or inflammation markers.

Conclusions

Our data suggest that the region where fat is accumulated might have a differential effect on lipid profile: trunk fat has an adverse effect, leg fat has a protective effect, and arm fat has no effect. The differences observed between upper- and lower-body peripheral fat depots should be further explored.

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Acknowledgments

We thank all participants of the study. This study was funded mainly by the Foundation for Health Research of Castilla-La Mancha (Fiscam-grant AN-2008/31). Additional funding was obtained from the Spanish Ministry of Education (EX-2008-0641), the Swedish Heart–Lung Foundation (20090635), and Research Network in Preventive and Health Promotion Activities (Red de Investigación en Actividades Preventivas y de Promoción de Salud-RedIAP) (grant RD06/0018/0038).

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have not conflict of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Social and Health Care Research Center, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Cuenca, Spain

    M. Sánchez-López, P. Moya-Martínez, I. Ortiz-Galeano & V. Martínez-Vizcaíno

  2. School of Education, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Ciudad Real, Spain

    M. Sánchez-López

  3. Unit for Preventive Nutrition, Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden

    F. B. Ortega & M. Sjöström

  4. Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Granada, Granada, Spain

    F. B. Ortega

  5. Clinical Analysis Laboratory, Hospital Virgen de la Luz, Cuenca, Spain

    S. López-Martínez

  6. Primary Care Research Unit, La Alamedilla Health Center, Salamanca, Spain

    M. A. Gómez-Marcos

  7. Research Network in Preventive and Health Promotion Activities (RedIAP), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain

    M. A. Gómez-Marcos & V. Martínez-Vizcaíno

  8. Centro de Estudios Sociosanitarios, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, 16071, Cuenca, Spain

    M. Sánchez-López

Authors
  1. M. Sánchez-López
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  2. F. B. Ortega
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  3. P. Moya-Martínez
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  4. S. López-Martínez
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  5. I. Ortiz-Galeano
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  6. M. A. Gómez-Marcos
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  7. M. Sjöström
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  8. V. Martínez-Vizcaíno
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to M. Sánchez-López.

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Sánchez-López, M., Ortega, F.B., Moya-Martínez, P. et al. Leg fat might be more protective than arm fat in relation to lipid profile. Eur J Nutr 52, 489–495 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-012-0350-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-012-0350-4

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