Adipose tissue distribution after weight restoration and weight maintenance in women with anorexia nervosa.
| Publication Type | Academic Article |
| Authors | Mayer L, Klein D, Black E, Attia E, Shen W, Mao X, Shungu D, Punyanita M, Gallagher D, Wang J, Heymsfield S, Hirsch J, Ginsberg H, Walsh B |
| Journal | Am J Clin Nutr |
| Volume | 90 |
| Issue | 5 |
| Pagination | 1132-7 |
| Date Published | 09/30/2009 |
| ISSN | 1938-3207 |
| Keywords | Adipose Tissue, Anorexia Nervosa, Body Image, Body Weight |
| Abstract | BACKGROUND: Body image distortions are a core feature of anorexia nervosa (AN). We, and others, previously reported abnormalities in adipose tissue distribution after acute weight restoration in adult women with AN compared with body mass index-matched healthy control women. Whether these abnormalities persist over time remains unknown. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to 1) replicate previous findings that showed preferential central accumulation of adipose tissue in recently weight-restored AN women compared with control subjects, 2) describe the change within patients with longer-term (1-y) weight maintenance, and 3) compare adipose tissue distribution after 1-y maintenance with that of control subjects. DESIGN: Body composition and adipose tissue distribution were assessed by whole-body magnetic resonance imaging in women with AN shortly after weight normalization (n = 30) and again 1 y after hospital discharge (n = 16) and in 8 female control subjects at 2 time points. RESULTS: With acute weight restoration, AN patients had significantly greater visceral and intermuscular adipose tissue compared with control women [visceral: 0.75 +/- 0.26 compared with 0.51 +/- 0.26 kg in AN patients and controls, respectively (P = 0.02); intermuscular: 0.46 +/- 0.17 compared with 0.29 +/- 0.13 kg in AN patients and controls, respectively (P = 0.01)]. With maintenance of normal weight for approximately 1 y, visceral adipose tissue distribution in AN patients was not different from that in healthy control subjects. CONCLUSIONS: In adult women with AN, normalization of weight in the short term is associated with a distribution of adipose tissue that is consistent with a central adiposity phenotype. This abnormal distribution appears to normalize within a 1-y period of weight maintenance. This research was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT 00271921 and NCT 00368667. |
| DOI | 10.3945/ajcn.2009.27820 |
| PubMed ID | 19793856 |
| PubMed Central ID | PMC2762154 |