Internal medicine

White adipose tissue

Mathematics

Physiology

Obesity

Diabetes mellitus

Biology

Distribution (mathematics)

Endocrinology

Mathematical analysis

Adipose tissue

Insulin resistance

Brown adipose tissue

Intra-Abdominal Fat

Metabolic syndrome

Cohort

Visceral fat

Medicine

Cell Reports Medicine

The association of brown adipose tissue (BAT) and body fat distribution and their combined effects on metabolic health in humans remains unknown. Here, we retrospectively identify individuals with and without BAT on 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) and assemble a propensity score-matched study cohort to compare body fat distribution and determine its role in mediating the benefits of brown fat. We find that BAT is associated with lower amounts of visceral adipose tissue and higher amounts of subcutaneous adipose tissue, resulting in less central obesity. In addition, BAT is independently associated with lower blood glucose and white blood cell count, improved lipids, lower prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus, and decreased liver fat accumulation. These observations are most prominent in individuals with central obesity. Our results support a role of BAT in protection from visceral adiposity and improved metabolic health.

Brown adipose tissue is associated with healthier body fat distribution and metabolic benefits independent of regional adiposity