Relationship of Subcutaneous Adipose Tissue Blood Flow to Thickness of Subcutaneous Tissue and Total Body Fat Mass

Abstract

Adipose tissue blood flow (ATBF, expressed per unit tissue weight) was measured in the subcutaneous layer on the anterior abdominal wall in 196 subjects at rest, using the local ¹³³Xenon washout method. With increasing amount of fat in the body ATBF decreased significantly, until a lower level was found in moderate and severe obesity, where ATBF was constant and independent of the body weight. The relationship between ATBF (ml/100 g/min) and amount of fat in the body is assumed to reflect a varying fat cell size. Regression analysis showed a significantly lower ATBF in females than in males. This difference could not be explained by the greater adiposity in females as compared to males. A significant increase in ATBF found during a 3-day period of total fasting emphasizes the importance of metabolic and neurohumoral factors in the regulation of ATBF in man.

Key Words:

• Adipose tissue blood flow
• total body fat mass
• ¹³³Xe washout method