1. Leisure-time physical activity and intra-abdominal fat in young adulthood: A monozygotic co-twin control study
- Author
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Karoliina Väisänen, Jaakko Kaprio, Urho M. Kujala, Mirva Rottensteiner, Sari Aaltonen, Elina Järvelä-Reijonen, and Tuija Leskinen
- Subjects
medicine.medical_specialty ,Intra-Abdominal Fat ,Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism ,Population ,Medicine (miscellaneous) ,Monozygotic twin ,030209 endocrinology & metabolism ,Diet Records ,03 medical and health sciences ,0302 clinical medicine ,Endocrinology ,Internal medicine ,Medicine ,Young adult ,education ,2. Zero hunger ,education.field_of_study ,Nutrition and Dietetics ,business.industry ,030229 sport sciences ,medicine.disease ,Obesity ,Cohort ,business ,Body mass index - Abstract
Objective To investigate differences in abdominal fat compartments between young adult monozygotic twin pairs discordant for leisure-time physical activity. Methods Ten young adult male monozygotic twin pairs (age range 32-36 years) discordant for leisure-time physical activity during the past 3 years were systematically selected from a population-based Finnish twin cohort. Magnetic resonance image at the level of the L2-L3 intervertebral disc was used to predict intra-abdominal and subcutaneous abdominal fat masses. Dietary intake was assessed with a 4-day food diary. Results Inactive twins had 31% more intra-abdominal fat than their active co-twins (mean difference 0.52 kg, 95% CI 0.12 to 0.91, P = 0.016), whereas the difference in subcutaneous abdominal fat was only 13% (P = 0.21) and 3% in body mass index (P = 0.28). Intraperitoneal fat mass was 41% higher among inactive twins compared to their active co-twins (mean difference 0.41 kg, 95% CI 0.11 to 0.70, P = 0.012). Dietary intake did not differ between co-twins. Conclusions A lower level of physical activity is related to greater accumulation of intra-abdominal fat among healthy adult males in their mid-30s. The findings highlight the importance of leisure-time physical activity independent of genes and diet in the prevention of intra-abdominal fat accumulation from early adulthood onward.
- Published
- 2016