A cross-sectional analysis of dietary intake and abdominal visceral fat content measured by ultrasound sonography

The assessment of abdominal visceral fat (VF) warrants more applicable screening methods to detect individuals at risk of developing comorbidities. The purpose of this study was to identify a practical ultrasound sonography (US) protocol that can accurately estimate abdominal VF area (VFA, cm 2 ) and to examine how much of the abdominal VFA can be explained by dietary intake. A 3-day dietary food recall followed by a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) and US scan were performed in 30 young adults. The developed regression equation ( F (4, 25) = 46.869, P = 0.001) was: (37.677 + (1.456 × Age) − (26.963 × Sex) − (11.336 × Region 4) + (13.554 × Region 6)), where regions 4 and 6 = transverse transducer placement 2 cm to the left and right of the superior border of the umbilicus, respectively (thickness defined as the distance in cm from the internal surface of the abdominal muscle to the anterior aortic wall). The regression equation had high accuracy (adjusted R 2 = 0.864) and test reliability ( r = 0.927, P < 0.001) at estimating abdominal VFA (31.4 ± 21.4 cm 2 ) when compared to the abdominal VFA (31.1 ± 21.1 cm 2 ) measured by DEXA. The intake of added sugars, only in males, was positively associated ( r = 0.671, P = 0.048) with abdominal VFA. Sex, age, and two abdominal regions are sufficient to estimate abdominal VFA in healthy adults. Examining added sugar consumption over time could aid in identifying individuals with a greater risk of developing a greater abdominal VF content.