Abstract

To investigate the relationship between visceral fat, habitual dietary intake and circulating levels of three adipokines in Saudi females. A total of 127 apparently healthy female students were randomly recruited from Medicine College at KAU, Saudi Arabia. Anthropometric measurements were performed and a questionnaire was used to assess demographic variables, general health, medication use and dietary intake. Biochemical parameters were measured in fasting blood samples. Subjects were categorized into 2 subgroups according to presence or absence of visceral obesity, which was defined by a waist circumference (WC) value above 75th percentile. Significantly lower serum adiponectin (p<0.01) in addition to significantly higher serum lipid parameters, glucose, insulin (p<0.0001), leptin and dietary protein levels (p<0.05) were found among subjects with WC≥79 cm than those with WC<79 cm. Multiple regression analysis identified serum adiponectin (β= -0.71, P=0.013), leptin (β= 0.335, P=0.05) and daily intake level of adjusted protein (β= 2.817, P=0.011) as independent predictors for WC. Hypoadiponectemia, hyperleptinemia and high dietary protein level adjusted for total caloric intake are suggested to be associated with visceral fat among a group of Saudi females independent of body weight.

Key words: Visceral obesity, leptin, adiponectin, resistin, dietary intake, Saudi female