Continued loss in visceral and intermuscular adipose tissue in weight‐stable women following bariatric surgery

• Published in: Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.) Vol. 23; no. 1; pp. 62 - 69
• Main Authors: Toro‐Ramos, Tatiana, Goodpaster, Bret H., Janumala, Isaiah, Lin, Susan, Strain, Gladys W., Thornton, John C., Kang, Patrick, Courcoulas, Anita P., Pomp, Alfons, Gallagher, Dympna
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.01.2015
• Subjects: Abdomen; Adiposity - physiology; Adult; Bariatric Surgery - rehabilitation; Body fat; Case-Control Studies; Cholesterol; Diabetes; Female; Gastrointestinal surgery; Gender differences; Hospitals; Humans; Hypertension; Intra-Abdominal Fat - pathology; Laparoscopy; Longitudinal Studies; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Males; Middle Aged; Muscle, Skeletal - metabolism; Muscle, Skeletal - pathology; NMR; Nuclear magnetic resonance; Obesity; Obesity, Morbid - metabolism; Obesity, Morbid - pathology; Obesity, Morbid - rehabilitation; Obesity, Morbid - surgery; Organ Size; Studies; Weight Loss; Women; United States > US; Pittsburgh Pennsylvania
• ISSN: 1930-7381; 1930-739X
• DOI: 10.1002/oby.20932

Objective To assess changes in total (TAT), subcutaneous (SAT), visceral (VAT), and intermuscular (IMAT) adipose tissue by whole‐body MRI before surgery and at 12 months and 24 months post‐surgery in a subset of participants of the Longitudinal Assessment of Bariatric Surgery‐2. Methods From 0 to 12 months, n = 20 females and 3 males; from 12 to 24 months, n = 42 females and 7 males. Paired t‐tests and GLM repeated measures examined changes in TAT, SAT, VAT, and IMAT at 12 and 24 months, with sex and age as covariates. Results Changes from 0 to 12 months included weight (−41.9 ± 12.1 kg; −36%), TAT (−33.5 ± 9.6 kg; −56%), SAT (−29.2 ± 8.2 kg; −55%), VAT (−3.3 ± 1.6 kg; −73%), and IMAT (−0.99 ± 0.68 kg; −50%), all P < 0.001. In females, from 12 to 24 months, despite relative weight stability (−1.8 ± 6.5 kg, −2%; P = 0.085), VAT (−0.5 ± 0.7 kg; −30%; P < 0.001) and IMAT (−0.2 ± 0.4 kg; −14%; P = 0.012) decreased further. In males, from 12 to 24 months, weight increased (5.1 ± 5.2 kg; 6%; P = 0.04) with no significant changes in TAT or sub‐depots. Conclusions Bariatric surgery continues to induce favorable changes in body composition, i.e., persistent adipose tissue loss at 24 months in the absence of further significant weight loss.