More Visceral Fat Means More Inflammation
Yet another study showing a correlation between chronic inflammation and abdominal fat: "Obesity-related increases in multiple inflammatory markers may contribute to the persistent subclinical inflammation common with advancing age. ... We used factor analysis to identify inflammatory factor(s) and examine their associations with adiposity in older adults at risk for disability. ... [Inflammatory markers] were measured in 179 participants from the Lifestyle Interventions and Independence for Elders Pilot (Mean ± SD age 77 ± 4 years, 76% white, 70% women). Body mass index, waist circumference, and total fat mass were assessed by anthropometry and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. ... Greater total and abdominal adiposity are associated with higher levels of an inflammatory factor related to CRP, IL-1ra, and IL-6 in older adults, which may provide a clinically useful measure of inflammation in this population. ... [The associations were determined] after adjusting for age, gender, race/ethnicity, site, smoking, anti-inflammatory medications, comorbidity index, health-related quality of life, and physical function. These associations remained significant after further adjustment for grip strength, but only waist circumference remained associated with inflammation after adjusting for total lean mass." Waist circumference is a better correlation with the amount of visceral fat packed around the organs in comparison to body mass index.