ABSTRACT
The topography of fat distribution plays an important role in the development of health risks. Patients with abdominal obesity exhibiting fat accumulation in subcutaneous and particularly in intraabdominal deposits (i.e., those with expanded visceral depots) are the one who are most prone to metabolic and cardiovascular problems (1-3). In humans, omentectomy (i.e., removal of the omentum), when performed together with adjustable gastric banding, has significant positive and long-term effects on the metabolic profiles of glucose and insulin in obese subjects (4). Regional differences in fat depots are intriguing and far-reaching, and the mechanisms leading to the deleterious effects of visceral fat remain controversial (working hypothesis in Fig. 1).
