Relationship of visceral adipose tissue and glucose disposal is independent of sex in black NIDDM subjects

Research was conducted to determine the interrelationship among insulin action, total or regional adiposity, and sex in black non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) subjects. Insulin-mediated glucose disposal was measured by the euglycemic insulin clamp and adipose distribution using computed axial tomography (22 scans) in 32 black men and 20 black women with NIDDM. Visceral fat explained a significant portion (34%) of variance in insulin-mediated glucose disposal while total or subcutaneous fat and sex did not.