Objective: To compare the changes in intra-abdominal adipose tissue (IAAT) measured by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with changes in central abdominal fat (CAF) measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and anthropometric measurements in obese subjects before and after a weight loss programme.
Design: Longitudinal, clinical intervention study of a 600 kcal/day deficit diet with 10 mg/day sibutramine per day for six months.
Subjects: Nineteen women (age: 42+/-8.7 y, BMI: 33.3+/-1.9 kg/m2) and 17 men (age: 41.8+/-5.3 y, BMI: 32.6+/-2.4 kg/m2).
Measurements: MRI was used to measure the effect of weight loss on IAAT. Changes in IAAT were compared with changes in CAF by DXA and anthropometry.
Results: The percentage of changes in IAAT was greater than that in subcutaneous adipose tissue (SCAT) in both women and men (P<0.01). Changes in IAAT were significantly correlated with changes in weight and BMI in both women and men. In women and not in men, changes in CAF by DXA, waist circumference and WHR were also significantly correlated with the changes in IAAT.
Conclusion: Estimation of the change in IAAT was better in obese women than obese men. In both sexes the changes in weight and BMI had the highest correlation coefficients with the change in IAAT.