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People of Indian origin develop type 2 diabetes at a relatively young age and low body mass index compared to people of other racial groups, possibly because of preferential accumulation of abdominal fat. We examined the relationship between abdominal fat and body mass index (BMI) in healthy premenopausal women of different racial groups, and compared abdominal fat measurements at different ages. Women of Chinese, European, Indian or Polynesian origin (50 of each, mean age 31) had dual energy x-ray absorptiometry of the lumbar spine, with estimation of the percentage fat in the abdominal area. Polynesian women had a significantly greater mean BMI (P< 0.001) than all other groups, and a higher abdominal fat than European and Chinese woman (P< 0.001). Although the Indian women had a similar mean BMI to the European and Chinese women, they had a significantly greater abdominal fat (P<0.001). When examined by age tertile, the Indian women had significantly more abdominal fat than Chinese or European women at all ages (P<0.001), with marked differences evident even in the youngest group (mean age 23 years). Compared to other racial groups, women of Indian origin preferentially accumulate abdominal fat--a trait that is well established in young adulthood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]