Baseline estradiol concentration in community dwelling Japanese American men is not associated with intra abdominal fat accumulation over 10 years.
PROBLEM The role of plasma estradiol in the accumulation of intra abdominal fat (IAF) in men is uncertain. Cross sectional studies using imaging of IAF have shown either a positive or no association. In contrast, a randomised controlled trial using an aromatase inhibitor to suppress estradiol production found an association between oestrogen deficiency and short term IAF accumulation. No longitudinal study has been conducted to examine the relationship between plasma estradiol concentration and the change in IAF area measured using direct imaging. METHODS This is a longitudinal observational study in community dwelling Japanese American men (n=215, mean age 52 years, BMI 25.4kg/m2) IAF and subcutaneous fat areas were assessed using computerized tomography (CT) at baseline, 5 and 10 years. Baseline plasma estradiol concentrations were measured using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. RESULTS Univariate analysis found no association between baseline estradiol concentration and baseline IAF, or 5 or 10 year changes in IAF area (r= 0.05 for both time points, p=0.45 and p=0.43, respectively) Multivariate linear regression analysis of the change in IAF area by baseline estradiol concentration adjusted for age, baseline IAF area, and weight change found no association with either the 5 or 10 year IAF area change (p=0.52 and p=0.55, respectively) CONCLUSIONS Plasma estradiol concentration was not associated with baseline IAF nor with change in IAF area over 5 or 10 years based on serial CT scans in community dwelling Japanese American men. These results do not support a role for oestrogen deficiency in IAF accumulation in men.
Obesity research clinical practice