Structural and Functional Properties of Deep Abdominal Subcutaneous Adipose Tissue Explain Its Association With Insulin Resistance and Cardiovascular Risk in Men OBJECTIVE

Fat distribution is an important variable explaining metabolic heterogeneity of obesity. Abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) is divided by the Scarpa’s fascia into a deep subcutaneous adipose tissue (dSAT) and a superficial subcuta-neous adipose tissue (sSAT) layer. This study sought to characterize functional differences between the two SAT layers to explore their relative contribution to metabolic traits and cardiovascular risk (CVR) profile. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We recruited 371 Caucasians consecutively from a local random, population-based screening project in Oxford and 25 Asian Indians from the local community. The depth of the SAT layers was determined by ultrasound (US), and adipose tissue (AT) biopsies were performed under US guidance in a subgroup of 43 Caucasians. Visceral adipose tissue (VAT) mass was quantified by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scan. RESULTS Male adiposity in both ethnic groups was characterized by a disproportionat