(OR34-06-24) Changes in Android Fat and Total Fat Are Proportional Despite Varying Dietary Macronutrient Compositions

Objectives: Does changing dietary macronutrient composition alter the relationship between changes in android fat and total fat?

Methods: Android and total body fat were measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), from 3 randomized trials that examined the impact of different dietary interventions: study 1 (n=20 crossover; ultraprocessed [49% carb, 35% fat, 16% pro] vs unprocessed [46% carb, 35% fat, 19% pro]), study 2 (n=20 crossover; low carbohydrate [10% carb, 74% fat, 16% pro] vs low fat [75% carb, 11% fat, 14% pro]), study 3 [n=53 parallel groups randomly assigned; moderate sugar (50% carb, 35% fat, 15% pro], low sugar [50% carb, 35% fat, 15% pro], and low carbohydrate [ < 8% carb, >77% fat, 15% pro]). Diets in studies 1 and 2 were 2 weeks in duration, whereas diets in study 3 were 4 weeks in duration. Participants were permitted to consume study diets ad libitum in all dietary interventions. Change in mass of android fat and total fat from baseline were calculated and simple linear correlation and regression were performed by diet. Slopes of the linear regression lines were compared using a multiple comparisons one-way ANOVA, with significance accepted as p < 0.05.

Results: Within each diet pattern, there was a positive linear correlation between changes in android and change in total fat (r=0.59 to r=0.83, all p≤0.009). With all diets combined (n=129), there was a strong positive correlation between change in android and change in total fat (r=0.76 [95% CI 0.68 to 0.83], p<0.0001). The slopes were not significantly different for paired data in study 1 (p = 0.93) or study 2 (p= 0.08), or for independent groups in study 3 (p= 0.91). With all studies compared, there were no significant differences in slope between diets (p= 0.80). The mean ±SD of the slopes for the seven diets combined was 0.110 ±0.007. Thus, the relationship between change in total fat and change in android fat can be expressed as follows: Δandroid (g) = 0.110 * Δtotal (g).

Conclusions: The dietary macronutrient composition of a short-term (2-4 week) dietary intervention does not change the relationship between changes in android fat and total fat. For every 1 kilogram loss or gain in total fat mass, the android fat is expected to decrease or increase, respectively, by 110 ±7 grams.

Funding Sources: Intramural Research Program of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health