Body composition assessment for the definition of cardiometabolic risk.

2013

Obesity is associated with a major prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors and high risk of cardiovascular events and contributes to the increase in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality worldwide. Beyond the fat mass per se, the pattern of fat distribution has a profound influence on cardiometabolic risk. The increase in abdominal adipose tissue confers an independent risk, while the amount of gluteofemoral body fat is thought to be protective. Changes in the capacity of different depots to store and release fatty acids and to produce adipocytokines are important determinants of fat distribution and its metabolic consequences. Because of the complexity of the assessment of body fat with…