Association of dietary factors with abdominal subcutaneous and visceral adiposity in Japanese men.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between dietary factors and abdominal subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue in overweight and obese men.

METHODS: A pooled cross-sectional analysis was conducted to evaluate the associations between dietary factors (nutrition, dietary pattern and alcohol consumption) and subcutaneous fat area (SFA) and visceral fat area (VFA) in 301 Japanese men, aged 21-65 years.

RESULTS: The standardized regression coefficients of major dietary items (total energy intake, energy intake from breakfast, lunch, supper, between-meal, protein, fat, carbohydrate and alcohol) were positive for VFA in multiple linear regression analyses with the use of age and dietary items as independent variables. The energy intake from between-meal snacks correlated with SFA (standardized regression coefficient β = 0.174, p = 0.002). The coefficient of alcohol intake was positive for VFA and negative for SFA, and alcohol intake correlated with the VFA/total fat area (TFA) ratio (β = 0.130, p = 0.009). Alcohol intake was positively correlated with the blood non-esterified fatty acid concentration. Alcohol consumption additively increased energy intake from supper. The risk of an increase to VFA ≥ 100 cm(2) was 2.02 times higher (95% CI: 1.15, 3.56) for subjects whose energy intake was ≥ 2200 kcal/d, and 2.07 times higher (95% CI: 1.26, 3.42) in those who consumed ≥ 3 g/d alcohol. The risk of an increase to a VFA/TFA ratio ≥ 0.4 was 1.81 times higher (95% CI: 1.01, 3.23) for subjects whose energy intake from supper was ≥ 1000 kcal/d.

CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that habitual alcohol drinking and high-energy intake from supper are associated with disproportionate accumulation of visceral fat.