Clinical significance of visceral fat reduction through health education in preventing atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease - Lesson from the Amagasaki Visceral Fat Study: A Japanese perspective

The metabolic syndrome has received worldwide recognition and is useful clinical aid in early-preventing atherosclerosis. Visceral adiposity is the main component of the metabolic syndrome in Japan, based on ethnic and racial difference in the pattern of adiposity. In the Amagasaki Visceral Fat Study, subjects had undergone annual health check-ups and then received health education by medical personnel. Visceral fat reduction improved hypoadiponectinemia and the number of obesity-related cardiovascular risk factors, and effectively prevented cardiovascular events. The health education that includes voluntary lifestyle modification aimed at reducing visceral fat could be useful in preventing cardiovascular events in the metabolic syndrome.