ABSTRACT

Obesity has reached epidemic proportions in most of the developed world and is now known to increase the risk for many diseases and shorten life expectancy (1). Among the various fat depots, the accumulation of visceral fat (VF), which is the fat surrounding the viscera, is most strongly related to many health conditions, including insulin resistance and diabetes (2). The mechanism(s) linking VF with the metabolic syndrome is not entirely clear, but it has been suggested to involve its anatomical location, leading to a “portal” effect of greater free fatty acids (FFA) and glycerol released by increased omental fat (3). More recently, evidence has shown that adipose tissue is an active endocrine organ, capable of secreting many peptides that can promote inflammation and insulin resistance (4). Our studies have shown that several genes from adipose tissue, thought to be involved in insulin resistance (PPAR , leptin) and metabolic syndrome (angiotensinogen, resistin, PAI-1), are more highly expressed in VF, as compared to subcutaneous (SC) fat (5,6).