SUBCUTANEOUS ADIPOSE TISSUE INSULIN RESISTANCE IS ASSOCIATED WITH VISCERAL ADIPOSITY IN POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN

OBJECTIVE: We determined whether whole body and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) insulin resistance was proportional to regional fat mass (FM). DESIGN AND METHODS: We studied postmenopausal women (Mean±SD; age 56±4 y, n=25) who were overweight or obese (BMI 29.9±5.1 kg/m(2)). Whole body and regional FM were measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and computed tomography (CT). Women were studied during basal and insulin-stimulated (3-stage euglycemic clamp) conditions. Whole-body lipolysis was assessed by [(2)H(5)]glycerol rate of appearance and abdominal and femoral SAT lipolysis by interstitial glycerol (microdialysis). RESULTS: Whole body insulin resistance in skeletal muscle (insulin-stimulated glucose disposal) and adipose tissue (insulin-suppressed lipolysis) were independently related to trunk FM (r=−0.336 and 0.484, respectively), but not leg FM (r=−0.142 and −0.148, respectively). Local antilipolytic insulin resistance in abdominal, but not femoral, SAT was positively related to trunk FM (r=0.552) and visceral FM (r=0.511) but not related to leg FM (r=−0.289). Whole body and abdominal, but not femoral, adipose tissue insulin sensitivity were strongly related to skeletal muscle insulin sensitivity (r=−0.727 and −0.674, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The association of SAT insulin sensitivity (lipolysis) with adiposity and skeletal muscle insulin sensitivity is specific to the abdominal region.