Relationships Between Plasma Adiponectin and Body Fat Distribution, Insulin Sensitivity, and Plasma Lipoproteins in Alaskan Yup’ik Eskimos: The CANHR Study

• Published in: Metabolism
• Main Authors: Goropashnaya, Anna V., Herron, Johanna, Sexton, Mary, Havel, Peter J., Stanhope, Kimber L., Plaetke, Rosemarie, Mohatt, Gerald V., Boyer, Bert B.
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 2009
• Subjects: Article; eskimo*; Alaska
• Online Access: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2629667; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19059527; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.metabol.2008.09.002

Adiponectin, a protein, secreted by adipose tissue has anti-atherogenic, anti-inflammatory, and insulin-sensitizing actions. We examined the relationship between plasma adiponectin and adiposity, insulin resistance, plasma lipids, glucose, leptin and anthropometric measurements in adult 316 men and 353 women Yup’ik Eskimos in Southwest Alaska. Adiponectin concentration was negatively associated with BMI, percent of body fat, sum of skin folds, waist circumference, triglycerides, insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), fasting insulin, and leptin in both men and women, and also with glucose in women. Adiponectin concentration correlated positively with high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) concentration, and also with low density lipoprotein cholesterol in women. Insulin sensitive individuals (HOMA-IR < 3.52, n = 442) had higher plasma adiponectin concentrations than more insulin resistant individuals (HOMA-IR ≥ 3.52, n = 224): 11.02 ± 0.27 μg/mL vs. 8.26 ± 0.32 μg/mL, P <.001. Adiponectin concentrations did not differ between groups of participants with low and high level of risk for developing coronary heart disease. No difference in plasma adiponectin levels was found among Yup’ik Eskimos and Caucasians matched for sex, age and BMI. In conclusion, circulating adiponectin concentrations were most strongly associated with sum of skin folds in Yup’ik men and with HDL-C levels, sum of skin folds, waist circumference, insulin and triglycerides concentrations in Yup’ik women.