Good Fat, Bad Fat: The Increasingly Complex Interplay of Adipose Tissue and the Cardiovascular System∗

Obesity is present in more than 30% of adults in the United States and is a known risk factor for a variety of cardiovascular problems, including coronary artery disease, atrial fibrillation, congestive heart failure, and stroke . Obesity is considered to be present when there is an excess mass of adipose tissue in the body. There is now widespread acceptance of the notion that regional fat stores might have specific local or systemic effects. The best-known example of a local fat depot with a specific effect is the case of excess fat within the abdominal cavity, which seems to contribute to insulin resistance, raised blood pressure, and dyslipidemia. This constellation of features is referred to as the metabolic syndrome . The liberation of inflammatory molecules from visceral fat is thought to be a key factor in the development of the metabolic syndrome . Interestingly, the adverse effects associated with excess visceral fat are not observed or are much less pronounced in adults with only excess subcutaneous fat . The divergent properties of visceral and subcutaneous fat highlight the importance of understanding the unique biological properties of various depots of adipose tissue.
Source: Journal of the American College of Cardiology - Category: Cardiology Authors: Tags: Cardiometabolic Risk: Editorial Comment Source Type: research