Resumen de Association between visceral fat and components of metabolic syndrome in young Mexicans: a preliminary study

Oliver A. Sollano Trejo, Tatiana Romero García, Hiram J. Jaramillo, Marina Trejo Trejo, A. Gabriela Leija Montoya, J. Gustavo Vázquez Jiménez

• Introduction: Obesity in young adults is a worldwide growing concern, increasing the risk of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and type 2 diabetes. This study explores whether healthy young individuals with a visceral fat area over 100 cm² show early metabolic alterations and investigates potential molecular mechanisms, including RGS2 expression, to better understand the onset of insulin resistance before clinical disease appears.

  Objectives: Since a wide percentage of people who de velop metabolic syndrome come from being overweight or obese, it is important to identify whether a higher area of visceral fat could be a diagnostic strategy associated with insulin resistance and higher levels of RGS2 in the young population.

  Methods: Healthy male and female participants underwent routine medical evaluations and were grouped based on visceral fat area (VFA). Individuals with VFA < 50 cm² were classified as the Low VFA group, while those with VFA > 100 cm² comprised the High VFA group. Anthropometric assessments and serum biochemical analysis were performed to estimate insulin resistance, waist-to-height ratio, triglyceride-to-HDL ratio, and MetS severity score. Finally, mRNA was extracted to calculate the SERCA pump and RGS2 gene expression through qRT-PCR.

  Results: Young participants with High VFA exhibited MetS signs, higher HOMA-IR values, and elevated waist-to height and triglyceride-to-HDL ratios. The MetS z-score and a strong positive correlation between VFA and MetS severity (r = 0.8307, p < 0.0001) further support the relationship between central adiposity and metabolic dysfunction. Additionally, young participants with High VFA tended to have higher levels of RGS2 gene expression, targeting this protein as a potential therapeutic target.

  Conclusion: Our findings demonstrate the role of exacer bated visceral adiposity in the metabolic risk in young people, despite their apparent healthy condition.