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FAT DISTRIBUTION AND END-EXPIRATORY LUNG VOLUME IN LEAN AND OBESE MEN AND WOMEN

⁰Institute for Exercise and Environmental Medicine, Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas and UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75231 ¹Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2H9

TonyBabb{at}TexasHealth.org

Abstract

BackgroundAlthough obesity significantly reduces end-expiratory lung volume (EELV), the relationship between EELV and detailed measures of fat distribution has not been studied in obese men and women. To investigate, EELV and chest wall fat distribution (i.e., rib cage, anterior subcutaneous abdominal fat, posterior subcutaneous fat, and visceral fat) were measured in lean (< 25% body fat) and obese (> 30% body fat) men and women. Methods: All subjects underwent pulmonary function testing, hydrostatic weighing, and MRI scans. Data were analyzed for the men and women separately, by independent t-test and the relationships between variables were determined by regression analysis. Results: All body composition measurements were significantly different between the lean and obese men and women (p < 0.001). However, with only a few exceptions, fat distribution was similar between the lean and obese men and women (p > 0.05). EELV was significantly lower in the obese men (39 ± 6 vs. 46 ± 4 %TLC, p < 0.0005) and women (40 ± 4 vs. 53 ± 4 %TLC, p < 0.0001) as compared with lean controls. Many estimates of body fatness were significantly correlated with EELV for both men and women. Conclusions: In both men and women, the decrease in EELV with obesity appears to be related to the cumulative effect of increased chest wall fat rather than to any specific regional chest wall fat distribution. Also, with only a few exceptions, relative fat distribution is markedly similar between lean and obese subjects.

Key Words: Pulmonary function • lung volumes • body composition • abdominal fat • visceral fat • and obesity