Impact of brown adipose tissue vascular density on body adiposity in healthy Japanese infants and children

Miyuki Kuroiwa; Sayuri Hamaoka-Fuse; Shiho Amagasa; Ryotaro Kime; Tasuki Endo; Riki Tanaka; Yuko Kurosawa; Takafumi Hamaoka

doi:10.1002/osp4.559

Impact of brown adipose tissue vascular density on body adiposity in healthy Japanese infants and children

Obes Sci Pract. 2021 Sep 21;8(2):190-198. doi: 10.1002/osp4.559. eCollection 2022 Apr.

Authors

Miyuki Kuroiwa¹, Sayuri Hamaoka-Fuse¹, Shiho Amagasa², Ryotaro Kime¹, Tasuki Endo¹, Riki Tanaka¹, Yuko Kurosawa¹, Takafumi Hamaoka¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Sports Medicine for Health Promotion Tokyo Medical University Tokyo Japan.
² Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health Tokyo Medical University Tokyo Japan.

Abstract

Background and objective: The importance of brown adipose tissue (BAT) is well recognized in healthy infants and children. However, information regarding age-related changes in BAT vascular density (BAT-d) and the impact of BAT-d on body adiposity are lacking. This study aimed to evaluate the normal values of BAT-d, factors influencing BAT-d, and the impact of BAT-d on body adiposity in healthy infants and children.

Methods: This study included 240 participants (127 girls and 113 boys) aged 1 month to 5 years. The tissue total hemoglobin concentration in the supraclavicular region adjusted according to the subcutaneous adipose tissue thickness (SAT) ([total-Hb-Adj]_sup) as BAT-d. SAT in the deltoid and interscapular regions (SAT_del+int), the Kaup index (body weight [g]/height or length [cm]/height or length [cm] × 10) as body adiposity, and fertilization season were also measured.

Results: The [total-Hb-Adj]_sup of boys was higher than that of girls (r = 0.277, p = 0.009). Younger children had a significantly higher Kaup index (r = 0.495, p < 0.001) and SAT_del+int (r = 0.614, p < 0.001) than older children. Children who had higher [total-Hb-Adj]_sup had a significantly lower Kaup index (r = 0.495, p = 0.037) and SAT_del+int (r = 0.614, p < 0.001).

Conclusion: The [total-Hb-Adj]_sup, as a parameter of BAT-d, is negatively correlated with body adiposity in children aged 1 month to 5 years, and BAT might affect human obesity to a much greater extent than expected. To prevent or treat obesity in early childhood, the level of BAT-d should be considered when using a dietary intervention.

Keywords: adiposity; brown adipose tissue; obesity; pediatrics.