Association of metabolic syndrome risk factors with activation of brown adipose tissue evaluated by infrared thermography

Abstract

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is positively correlated to visceral adipose tissue (VAT) because it secretes substances responsible for metabolic changes. Brown adipose tissue (BAT) has been identified as a major player in regulating body metabolism and reducing MetS risk factors. This study aims to analyze the association of MetS risk factors with BAT activation evaluated by infrared thermography (IRT) in adult men. A sample of 118 men was evaluated in body composition, hemodynamics, biochemical tests and skin temperature (Tskin) acquisition by IRT. Dependent and independent Student’s t-test, Person’s correlation and binary logistic regression were applied. Men classified as high BAT temperature variation had a higher supraclavicular Tskin (SCVT) and better metabolic indicators than those classified as a low group. Significant inverse correlations between ∆SCVT and age, body mass, VAT, triglycerides (TG), waist circumference (WC) and glucose (GL) variables were found. Model 2 with TG and VAT categorized was statistically significant. TG (OR = 20.260;IC = 2.529–162.278) and VAT (OR = 2.651;IC = 1.176–5.979) were significant predictors. We concluded men classified with low BAT temperature variation, have a higher risk of MetS when compared to those with a high BAT temperature variation. TG and VAT are predictors of BAT thermogenesis, allowing IRT to analyze the increase of MetS risk factors.