Added sugar intake is associated with pericardial adipose tissue volume

Abstract

Aim The purpose of this study was to determine the relationships of pericardial adipose tissue and visceral adipose tissue volume with added sugar and sugar-sweetened beverage intakes. We hypothesized that both added sugar and sugar-sweetened beverages were positively associated with pericardial adipose tissue and visceral adipose tissue volumes in black and white men and women enrolled in the prospective Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults study. Methods and results Dietary intake was assessed by diet history at baseline, year 7 and year 20 examinations in 3070 participants aged 18-30 and generally healthy at baseline. After 25 years follow-up, participants underwent a computed tomography scan of chest and abdomen; the computed tomography scans were read, and pericardial adipose tissue, visceral adipose tissue, and subcutaneous adipose tissue volumes were calculated. Quintiles were created for the average of baseline, year 7 and year 20 added sugar and for the average of sugar-sweetened beverages. General linear regression analysis evaluated the associations of pericardial adipose tissue and visceral adipose tissue volumes across quintiles of added sugar and across quintiles of sugar-sweetened beverage intakes adjusted for potential confounding factors. In a multivariable model, pericardial adipose tissue volume was higher across increasing quintiles of added sugar and sugar-sweetened beverage intakes ( ptrend = 0.001 and ptrend < 0.001, respectively). A similar relation was observed for visceral adipose tissue ( ptrend < 0.001 for both added sugar and sugar-sweetened beverages). Conclusions Long-term intakes of added sugar and sugar-sweetened beverages were associated with higher pericardial adipose tissue, visceral adipose tissue, and subcutaneous adipose tissue volumes. Because these ectopic fat depots are associated with greater risk of disease incidence, these findings support limiting intakes of added sugar and sugar-sweetened beverages.

Leptin‐dependent differential remodeling of visceral and pericardial adipose tissue following chronic exercise and psychosocial stress

“…Like VAT, PAT has been strongly associated with the prevalence of cardiovascular disease in human adults 67,68 . Although the volume of PAT pad is smaller compared to VAT, it is likely exerting direct paracrine effects on the heart due to its anatomic proximity to the coronary arteries and cardiac muscle via the pericardial fluid 6 . Our study shows for the first time that in obesity, PAT does not expand significantly in obesity unless it is combined with psychosocial stress.…”

“…67,68 Although the volume of PAT pad is smaller compared to VAT, it is likely exerting direct paracrine effects on the heart due to its anatomic proximity to the coronary arteries and cardiac muscle via the pericardial fluid. 6 Our study shows for the first time that in obesity, PAT does not expand significantly in obesity unless it is combined with psychosocial stress. We have also shown for the first time that unilocular and multilocular adipocytes respond independently to exercise and psychosocial stress.…”

“…This suggests that although the brown-like PAT is generally resistant to hypertrophic expansion, the combination of impaired leptin signaling, and psychosocial stress leads to a pathological phenotype with potentially negative implications for cardiac function. Unlike the 6 The effects of chronic psychosocial stress and treadmill exercise on key molecules for insulin and metabolic signaling in visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and pericardial adipose tissue (PAT) in LZR and OZR. (A) mRNA expression of IRS1 was measured in VAT obtained from LZR and OZR under control, UCMS, exercise, and UCMS/exercise conditions.…”

“…Little is known about the impact of chronic psychosocial stress on PAT phenotype. Computed tomography (CT) scanning showing the presence of PAT in humans shows an increased volume in response to a poor diet, 6 as well as in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus 7 . It has been suggested that the mechanical effects of increased PAT thickness may limit the distensibility of the heart even in healthy subjects with normal cardiac function and could contribute to diastolic dysfunction 8 .…”

Editors’ presentation: Focus on diabetes mellitus and diet

“…12 In this issue of the journal, Yi and colleagues used data from 3070 adults participating in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults study to determine the relationships between the pericardial and VAT volume with the intake of added sugar and sugar-sweetened beverages. 13 Participants were generally healthy and aged 18-30 years at baseline and were followed for 25 years. Assessments included dietary intake recordings and a computed tomography scan of the chest and abdomen, with volumes calculated for pericardial adipose tissue, VAT and subcutaneous adipose tissue.…”