These days you have maybe heard or read about the 2002 Women's Health Initiative trial results that found a direct correlation between breast density and cancer risk in women. At the same time, there are multiple clinical trials proving the correlation between abdominal fat and type 2 diabetes, stroke, heart attack, and even certain cancers. However, I am sure you haven't heard that breasts dimensions and visceral fat (belly fat) are also related.
A new study published in Obesity (2009) found that breast volume is associated with metabolic syndrome and abdominal (visceral) obesity. The team of researchers (Janiszewski, Saunders & Ross, 2009) concluded that breast volume is an independent indicator and predictor of visceral and ectopic fat in premenopausal women. "The extrapolation of our findings suggests that excess visceral or intramuscular fat may be the conduit which explains the previously documented association between breast size and type-2 diabetes" concluded Peter Janiszewski, PhD. (Sources, Obesity and Science blogs)
The authors of the so called most "unique" study, found that women who are predisposed to having larger breasts (due to their genetic makeup) are more like to have higher levels of visceral fat, for a given waist circumference. They concluded that while considering all factors, women-the same age group, body mass index (BMI)- an indicator for general obesity and waist circumference (abdominal obesity), women with the highest breast volume had approximately 1.1 and 1.3 kg more visceral and intramuscular fat in comparison to small breasted women. (Source, Science blogs)
"For example, approximately 40-50% of women undergoing liposuction of subcutaneous adipose tissue from the hips, thighs, or abdomen present with a paradoxical enlargement of breast size of at least one cup as well as a relative increase in visceral fat post-surgery. Additionally, highly active antiretroviral therapy among HIV- positive women is associated with a peripheral loss of functional subcutaneous fat but a compensatory increase in visceral and inter-muscular fat (well documented lipodystrophy), in association with a significant enlargement in breast size, "stated the lead author. (Source, Science blogs)
In fact, it is not difficult to presume that women with larger breast would have more subcutaneous fat, as they carry more fat all over their body. The study found that breast volume is not associated with any of the cardiometabolic risk factors measured in the model used, despite considering the fact that augmented (visceral or intra-abdominal) fat is a proverbial marker for metabolic syndrome and a strong predictor of the numerous metabolic syndrome risk effects (cardiovascular disease, stroke, gout, kidney failure, and Alzheimer's disease).
It seems quite obvious that large breasts appear to indicate augmented fat deposition both (visceral and inter-muscular) independently associated with the risk of metabolic syndrome appearance. "Now before women with large breasts head out to get breast reductions, it is key to consider that our findings are quite preliminary, and furthermore that breast size only appears to be a proxy for other factors which are more likely to be causally related to health risk," agreed Janiszewski.(Source, Science blogs)
The authors concluded that study results are only preliminary and future research is an absolute must. But if further research substantiates these results the findings will help immensely in terms of diagnosing the metabolic syndrome before its real appearance."Otherwise, large breasts appear to indicate a phenotype characterized by the augmented deposition of fat in ectopic depots, such as visceral and inter-muscular fat independently associated with increased cardiometabolic risk" concluded the author. (Source, Science Blogs)
Reference: Janiszewski, P., Saunders, T., & Ross, R. (2009). Breast Volume is an Independent Predictor of Visceral and Ectopic Fat in Premenopausal Women. Obesity (2010) 18 (6) 1183–7.
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