Hindawi Publishing Corporation
ISRN Obesity
Volume 2013, Article ID 506751, 5 pages
http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/506751
Research Article
Normal Weight Estonian Prepubertal Boys Show a More
Cardiovascular-Risk-Associated Adipose Tissue Distribution than
Austrian Counterparts
Sandra J. Wallner-Liebmann,
1
Reinhard Moeller,
2
Renate Horejsi,
2
Toivo Jürimäe,
3
Jaak Jürimäe,
3
Jarek Mäestu,
3
Priit Purge,
3
Meeli Saar,
3
Erwin Tafeit,
2
Petra Kaimbacher,
1
Renate Kruschitz,
1
Daniel Weghuber,
4
Wolfgang J. Schnedl,
5
and Harald Mangge
6
1
Center of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Pathophysiology and Immunology, Medical University of Graz, Heinrichstraße 31a,
8010 Graz, Austria
2
Center of Physiological Medicine, Institute of Physiological Chemistry, University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
3
Faculty of Exercise and Sports Sciences, Center of Behavioural and Health Sciences, University of Tartu, 50090 Tartu, Estonia
4
Department of Pediatrics, Paracelsus Private Medical University of Salzburg, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
5
Practice for General Internal Medicine, Bruck a.d.M., 8600 Graze, Austria
6
Clinical Institute for Medical and Chemical Laboratory Diagnosis, Medical University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
Correspondence should be addressed to Sandra J. Wallner-Liebmann; sandra.wallner@medunigraz.at
Received 4 December 2012; Accepted 21 December 2012
Academic Editors: J. J. Gleysteen, H. Gordish-Dressman, and D. Micic
Copyright © 2013 Sandra J. Wallner-Liebmann et al. is is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons
Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is
properly cited.
Objective. Risk phenotypes for cardiovascular disease (CVD) differ markedly between countries, like the reported high difference in
CVD mortality in Austria and Estonia. Hitherto, the goal of this study was to �nd out risk pro�les in body fat distribution yet present
in childhood, paving the way for later clinical end points. Methods. he subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) distribution patterns in
553 Austrian (A) and Estonian (E) clinically healthy normal weight boys aged 11.1 (±0.8) years were analysed. We applied the
patented optical device Lipometer which determines the individual subcutaneous adipose tissue topography (SAT-Top). Results.
Total body fat did not differ signi�cantly between E and A boys. A discriminant analysis using all Lipometer data, BMI, and the
total body fat (TBF) yielded 84.6% of the boys correctly classi�ed in Estonians and Austrians by � body sites. A factor analysis
identi�ed the SAT distribution of E as critically similar to male adult patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). Conclusions.
We show in normal weight Estonian boys a highly signi�cant decreased fat accumulation on the lower body site compared to age
matched Austrian males. is SAT-Top phenotype may play an important role for the increased cardiovascular risk seen in the
Estonian population.
1. Introduction
e risk for populational diseases differs markedly between
geographic regions and countries, as, for example, the
reported greater rate of cardiovascular mortality in Estonia
compared to Austria. e latest age standardised ischemic
heart disease (IHD) mortality data per 100 000 population
are for Austria 80,68, while for Estonia 254,25 [1].
So far, the studies investigating cardiovascular disease
(CVD) risk factors focused on adult obesity and associated
metabolic disorders. However, for the assessment of popula-
tional health, it is of outmost interest to gain a better insight
in the pediatric roots of CVD.
Although it is well established that obesity and the
subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) phenotype are essentially
involved in CVD risk, little information exists about risk
phenotypes in prepubertal obese children.
Notably, the prevalence of childhood obesity increased
4-fold during the last 20 years [2], and this represents a
strong risk factor for obesity of adulthood [3]. e SAT