Subjects with high visceral adipose tissue exhibit higher blood pressure, independent of fitness
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The study was designed to test the hypothesis that the association between low physical fitness (i.e. being unfit) and elevated blood pressure is related, at least in part, to the higher visceral adipose tissue level often found among unfit individuals. A total of 407 asymptomatic, nondiabetic subjects participated in the study. Visceral adipose tissue was measured using computed tomography, and fitness was assessed by a progressive submaximal physical working capacity test. Subjects in the highest fitness tertile showed the lowest blood pressure values, whereas those in the highest visceral adipose tissue tertile exhibited the highest systolic and diastolic blood pressure values. After classifying subjects into fitness tertiles and then subdividing them according to their visceral adipose tissue, subjects with a high visceral adipose tissue had higher systolic and diastolic blood pressure values, independent of fitness category. Linear regression analysis revealed that age and visceral adipose tissue, but not fitness, predicted both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. In conclusion, subjects with high visceral adipose tissue levels have higher blood pressure, independent of physical fitness.
Abstract
