Associations between body fat distribution, insulin resistance and dyslipidaemia in black and white South African women.

AIM: The aim was to examine differences in body fat distribution between premenopausal black and white South African (SA) women and explore the ethnic-specific associations with cardiometabolic risk.

METHODS: Body composition, using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and computerised tomography, insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and lipid levels were assessed in 288 black and 197 white premenopausal SA women.

RESULTS: Compared to the white women, black women had less central and more peripheral (lower-body) fat, and lower serum lipid and glucose concentrations, but similar homeostasis models for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) values. The associations between body fat distribution and HOMA-IR, triglyceride and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations were similar, while the associations with fasting glucose, total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels differed between black and white women.

CONCLUSION: Ethnic differences in body fat distribution are associated, in part, with differences in cardiometabolic risk between black and white SA women.