Visceral fat thickness measured by ultrasonography can estimate not only visceral obesity but also risks of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases

Background: Visceral obesity is closely associated with cardiovascular disease and the metabolic syndrome. Estimating the amount of visceral fat is important and requires a straightforward, reliable, and practical method. Objective: We investigated whether visceral fat thickness (VFT) measured by ultrasonography can adequately assess visceral fat accumulation and predict cardiovascular or metabolic diseases. Design: Diabetic patients (240 men and 106 women) underwent ultrasonography to estimate visceral fat accumulation. Results: The visceral adipose tissue area had the best correlation with VFT (r = 0.799, P < 0.001). VFT correlated with HDL-cholesterol, triacylglycerol, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein concentrations, the homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance, and the intima-media thickness at the common carotid artery (r = -0.30, 0.39, 0.34, 0.31, and 0.33, respectively; P < 0.05) in men and with triacylglycerol and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein concentrations and the homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (r = 0.33, 0.44, and 0.30, respectively; P < 0.05) in women. Men in the middle and high VFT tertiles had a higher odds ratio (OR) of coronary artery disease [ORs: 4.48 (95% CI: 1.29, 5.51) and 2.04 (1.06, 3.94), respectively; P = 0.016], hypertriacylglycerolemia [ORs: 2.87 (1.41, 5.86) and 1.91 (1.24, 2.95), respectively; P = 0.003], and the metabolic syndrome [ORs: 3.38 (1.61, 7.10) and 1.95 (1.16, 3.27), respectively; P = 0.003] than did those in the low tertile, after adjustment for age, waist circumference, and body mass index. Conclusion: VFT might be a reliable index for assessing the amount of visceral fat and for identifying diabetic patients, particularly men, who are at high risk of cardiovascular disease.