Objective: The relationship between serum osteocalcin levels and body fat distribution remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the association between serum osteocalcin levels and visceral fat area (VFA) in Chinese men.
Design: Total serum osteocalcin levels were measured in 1768 Chinese men (22-75 yr old) by electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. VFA was quantified via magnetic resonance imaging. Correlation analyses were carried out for serum osteocalcin levels and clinical parameters. Subgroup analysis was carried out to confirm the correlations using subjects with normal glucose tolerance and normal body mass index chosen from the entire study population.
Results: Increased serum osteocalcin levels were accompanied by a decreasing trend in all anthropometric indices of obesity, systolic blood pressure, blood glucose, insulin resistance index, triglycerides, free fatty acid, and C-reactive protein levels (all P < 0.05). The 50-75th (osteocalcin level: 16.18-19.88 ng/ml) and 75th (≥19.89 ng/ml) percentile groups had lower VFA than the 25th (≤13.11 ng/ml) and 25-50th (13.12-16.17 ng/ml) percentile groups (96.0 ± 44.4 and 89.8 ± 44.4 cm(2) vs. 108.1 ± 41.9 and 102.9 ± 44.9 cm(2), P < 0.05). A decreasing trend in serum osteocalcin levels was found to accompany the increase in VFA. Multiple stepwise regression analysis showed that VFA, as an independent factor, was inversely associated with serum osteocalcin levels both in the entire study population and subgroup population (all P < 0.01).
Conclusions: Serum osteocalcin levels were inversely correlated with VFA in Chinese men.