Insulin Resistance Shows Stronger Correlation With Ectopic Liver Fat Instead of Visceral Fat in Asian Indians

Introduction: Insulin resistance (IR) is associated with abdominal obesity. Asian Indians have higher insulin resistance at lower abdominal obesity levels as compared to the western population. However, the relative association of various compartments of abdominal fat, i.e., Subcutaneous Fat (SCAT), Visceral fat (VAT), and ectopic Liver Fat, is not very clear. Our study’s objective was to look for the association of abdominal fat composition in Asian Indians with IR level and gender and diabetes status. Methodology: Our study is an analytical cross-sectional study conducted from 2018–2020 at SMS Hospital located in northwest India. 91 subjects were studied during the study period and underwent MRI for SCAT, VAT, and Liver fat estimation. We divided subjects into tertile groups, based on HOMA-IR levels, and statistical analysis for SCAT, VAT, and Lipid fat in each tertile and as a whole group carried out. Similarly, we analysed data in male and female and diabetic and non-diabetic groups, as tertiles and as a whole. Results: Of the recruited subjects 49 were diabetics (M: F=23:26) and 42 were non-diabetic (M: F=12:30). In the overall group, HOMA-IR has a weak positive association with VAT and Liver Fat and a weak negative association with SCAT (R=0.28,0.38 and -0.11, respectively). From tertile1 to tertile3, there was a consistent increase in VAT and Liver fat (119.3, 121.1, 156.6 cm(2) and 8.18, 10.02, 10.89% respectively), so that R value increases from -0.24 to 0.21 for VAT and -0.195 to 0.58 for Liver Fat. On the other hand, the SCAT levels were not different and correlation with IR declined from -0.299 to -0.39. On Sex wise analysis negative correlation of SCAT with IR become substantial from tertile1 to tertile3 in both males and females but strong correlation was seen in females (-0.189 to -0.515) though amount of SCAT was not different among tertiles. Both VAT and Liver Fat increased with tertile1 to terrtile3; IR was very strongly correlated with Liver Fat in both the sexes at higher tertiles (0.91 for males and 0.71 for females). In the diabetic group, liver fat was significantly associated with IR at higher tertile (R=0.9). The SCAT was negatively associated with IR, and a further decline in correlation coefficient with each tertile, became significant at 3(rd) tertile (-0.41) with a weak correlation of IR with VAT. These relations have similar SCAT and Liver fat trends but a strong correlation not seen in the non-diabetic group. Conclusion: Insulin resistance strongly correlated with ectopic liver fat in Asian Indians including diabetics with no gender disparity which became significant at higher tertile. As compared to ectopic liver fat, VAT has only a minor role in development of IR. SCAT has a protective role against IR in both diabetics and non-diabetics.