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Brown Adipose Tissue Volume and Fat Content Are Positively Associated With Whole-Body Adiposity in Young Men-Not in Women.

Accepted version
Peer-reviewed

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Type

Article

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Authors

Sanchez-Delgado, Guillermo  ORCID logo  https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4455-2483
Martinez-Tellez, Borja 
Acosta, Francisco M 
Virtue, Samuel 
Vidal-Puig, Antonio 

Abstract

Human brown adipose tissue (BAT) volume has consistently been claimed to be inversely associated with whole-body adiposity. However, recent advances in the assessment of human BAT suggest that previously reported associations may have been biased. The present cross-sectional study investigates the association of BAT volume, mean radiodensity, and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) uptake (assessed via a static positron emission tomography [PET]-computed tomography [CT] scan after a 2-h personalized cold exposure) with whole-body adiposity (measured by DXA) in 126 young adults (42 men and 84 women; mean ± SD BMI 24.9 ± 4.7 kg/m2). BAT volume, but not 18F-FDG uptake, was positively associated with BMI, fat mass, and visceral adipose tissue (VAT) mass in men but not in women. These associations were independent of the date when the PET-CT was performed, insulin sensitivity, and body surface area. BAT mean radiodensity, an inverse proxy of BAT fat content, was negatively associated with BMI, fat mass, and VAT mass in men and in women. These results refute the widely held belief that human BAT volume is reduced in obese persons, at least in young adults, and suggest that it might even be the opposite in young men.

Description

Keywords

Adipose Tissue, Brown, Adiposity, Body Composition, Cross-Sectional Studies, Female, Fluorodeoxyglucose F18, Humans, Hypertrophy, Male, Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography, Sex Characteristics, Young Adult

Journal Title

Diabetes

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

0012-1797
1939-327X

Volume Title

70

Publisher

American Diabetes Association

Rights

All rights reserved
Sponsorship
MRC (Unknown)
MRC (MC_UU_00014/2)