Morpho-Anthropological characteristic of the distribution of Adipose Connective Tissue in Elderly Bulgarian Males with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Abstract

Background: Diabetes is becoming a rapidly growing health concern across the world due to rapidly growing number of patients. Obesity and type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) are closely related.The aim of this study was to investigate the distribution of adipose connective tissue in elderly Bulgarian male patients with T2DM.Patients and Methods: Subjects of the research were 97 men suffering from T2DM, with age range 60-80 years. The control group included 40 Bulgarian healthy men in the same age range. Directly measured parameters: body height, body weight, 9 skinfolds (sf) and Bioelectrical Impedance analysis. Calculated indexes: Body mass index (BMI), the ratio sfTrunk/sfLimbs, the ratio skin folds upper half of body/skin folds lower half of body, fat mass and subcutaneous fat mass.Results: Statistically significant differences were found among the means of body weight, sfXrib, sfThigh, BMI, % body fat tissue, visceral fat tissue, fat mass and subcutaneous fat mass between the diabetic and healthy men. The body composition of elderly male patients with diabetes contained a significant larger adipose component than the controls. The well expressed visceral adipose tissue which determines the body composition is a reliable indicator of the health risks in elderly patients with T2DM. Conclusion:In male patients with T2DM aged 60-80 years the model of subcutaneous adipose tissue distribution was predominant in the upper torso region and less in the limbs. The common fat tissue and visceral adipose tissue in male patients were significantly more expressed than the healthy controls. These data revealed a worse anthropological status of the body composition in male patients with T2DM.