The aim of the present study was to determine the relationship between body fat distribution, adipocytokines, inflammatory markers, fat intake and ectopic fat content of liver and pancreas in obese men and women. A total of 12 lean subjects (mean age 47.25 ± 14.88 years and mean BMI 22.85 ± 2), 38 obese subjects (18 men and 20 women) with mean age 49.1 ± 13.0 years and mean BMI 34.96 ± 4.21 kg/m² were studied. Measurements: weight, height, BMI, waist circumference, as well as glucose, insulin, HOMA (homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance), cholesterol, triglycerides, high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, high sensitivity C‐reactive protein, daily energy intake, leptin, and adiponectin. Magnetic resonance was used to evaluate visceral, subcutaneous adipose tissue (SCAT) as well as liver and pancreas lipid content using in‐phase and out‐of‐phase magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sequence. Obese subjects had significantly higher weight, waist circumference, SCAT, deep SCAT, visceral adipose tissue (VAT), liver and pancreatic lipid content than lean subjects. Obese women had significantly lower VAT, liver and pancreas lipid content regardless of same BMI. In multiple regression analyses, the variance of liver lipid content explained by gender and VAT was 46%. When HOMA was added into a multiple regression, a small increase in the proportion of variance explained was observed. A 59.2% of the variance of pancreas lipid content was explained by gender and VAT. In conclusion, obese men show higher VAT and ectopic fat deposition in liver and pancreas than obese women despite same BMI. Independent of overall adiposity, insulin resistance, adiponectin and fat intake, VAT, measured with MRI, is the main predictor of ectopic fat deposition in both liver and pancreas.

Aging is accompanied by involuntary loss of skeletal muscle mass, strength and function, called sarcopenia. The mechanisms underlying the development of sarcopenia are not completely understood and most likely multi-factorial, but significant progress has been made over the past few years to identify some of the major contributors. Besides life style-related factors, as diet and physical activity, sarcopenia seems to be also determined by hormonal dysregulation, chronic inflammatory status, ectopic adipose tissue accumulation, neurological and vascular changes associated with aging. The present mini-review focused on the basic factors that primarily impact muscle homeostasis in older subjects. A better understanding of cellular mechanism leading to sarcopenia is required to establish evidence-based intervention in order to prevent onset of symptoms associated with sarcopenia and to extend the time free from disability in older adults.

To validate the MSRA questionnaire proposed as prescreening tool for sarcopenia, in a population of community-dwelling elderly subjects.

There are relatively few prospective studies evaluating the combined effect of abdominal obesity and low muscle strength on mortality, hospitalization, and incident disability. The aim of this study was to prospectively evaluate the prognostic value of dynapenic abdominal obesity on incident disability, hospitalization, and mortality in the population of the InCHIANTI study. In 370 men and 476 women aged between 65 and 95 years, handgrip strength, waist circumference (WC), body mass index, interleukin-6, C-reactive protein, education, medications, smoking status, and comorbidities were evaluated at the baseline. Difficulties in performing basic activities of daily living were assessed at baseline and at 3-, 6-, and 9-year follow-ups, using a standardized questionnaire. Hospitalization and mortality rates were evaluated during an 11-year follow-up. The study population was categorized as nondynapenic nonabdominal obese (ND/NAO, reference group), dynapenic nonabdominal obese (D/NAO), nondynapenic abdominal obese (ND/AO), and dynapenic abdominal obese (D/AO), according to handgrip strength/WC tertiles. D/AO participants presented more than a twofold increase in risk of worsening disability (odds ratio = 2.10; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.14–3.88) and significantly higher risk of hospitalization (1.36; 95% CI: 1.04–1.78) compared with ND/NAO participants. After adjustment for potential confounders, the relative risk of death was 1.47 (95% CI: 1.09–1.97) for D/NAO compared with the ND/NAO group. Dynapenic abdominal obese participants are at higher risk of worsening disability and hospitalization than ND/NAO participants. Mortality risk was higher in participants with dynapenia without central fat distribution compared with the reference group.