Rhonda Siddall [NOF Special Correspondent] 05 November 2007

NEW research presented at the recent European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) suggests that measuring levels of a protein in the blood could provide an accurate way to assess how much `dangerous’ fat is stored around the body’s vital organs.

 

The build-up of this so-called visceral fat has been linked to an increased risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes and is more dangerous to health than fat that is deposited under the skin rather than in and around tissues and organs such as muscle and the liver. Visceral fat is metabolically more active than subcutaneous fat and can trigger reactions in the body that disturb metabolic processes.

The new research, presented by Professor Matthias Blüher, Head of Clinical Research Group “Atherobesity” at the University of Leipzig in Germany, showed that a specific protein is produced in much greater amounts by visceral fat than fat that lies just beneath the skin.

 

Professor Blüher and his team showed that the genes that produce the protein - RBP4 - were up to 60 times more active in obese people with high levels of visceral fat than in lean people. In contrast, the same genes were only 12 times more active in obese people who tended to have more fat lying just under their skin.

 

Professor Blüher  told the National Obesity Forum: “Measuring RBP4 could be an effective way in the near future of assessing visceral obesity and increased risk for type 2 diabetes and other adverse outcomes of visceral obesity. Also, this protein could be a target for potential new pharmacological interventions to treat metabolic syndrome and visceral obesity.” Previous work by Professor Blüher and his colleagues showed that cutting RBP4 levels in obese mice helped the animals to make better use of the hormone insulin - and thus reduce their risk of diabetes. They also showed that measures to improve insulin sensitivity in human subjects resulted in a drop in RPB4 levels.

 

Dr David Haslam welcomed the research but said it was too early to make any conclusions about the availability of a blood test and any trials in humans of a potential new treatment based on RBP4 would be years away. “If a cheap blood test was available that measured visceral fat accurately this would be a welcome addition to our current tools but we already have a quick, cheap and easy way to get a good guide of visceral obesity and type 2 diabetes risk.” Dr Haslam said that measuring waistlines with a tape measure could pick out those individuals more at risk of problems related to visceral fat. A waist measurement of 37 inches (94cm) or more for men, and 31.5 inches (80cm) or more for a woman is considered to raise the risk, he added.