The Study
Expression of genes related to glucocorticoid action in human subcutaneous and omental adipose tissue.
This study looked at fat tissue from 56 women having surgery. Scientists measured genes related to stress hormones in two types of belly fat (subcutaneous and omental) and compared them to how fat the women were. They found that women with more belly fat had higher levels of a certain gene (11β-HSD1) in their omental fat. BUT here's the important part: this study CANNOT prove that this gene causes obesity. It's like taking a picture of two things at the same time - you see them together, but you don't know which came first or if one causes the other.
Analysis score
Maximum 44 for a cross-sectional study.
Where the score came from
Scientists looked at genes in belly fat vs under-skin fat from 56 women having surgery. They found one specific gene (11β-HSD1) in belly fat strongly predicts how much belly fat a woman has.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 541 / 100
Quality score
Snapshots of a population at a single point in time, or descriptions of small groups. Can identify correlations and prevalence, but cannot determine cause and effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes - this gene explains about 1/5 of the differences in belly fat between women, which is meaningful for understanding obesity
- 2Omental 11β-HSD1 explains 19.1% of visceral fat variance; 11β-HSD2, H6PDH, GRα higher in omental fat; 11β-HSD1 positively linked to total and visceral adiposity; H6PDH negatively linked to adiposity
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
The Journal of steroid biochemistry and molecular biology
Year
2010
Authors
A. Veilleux, P. Laberge, Jacques Morency, Suzanne Noël, V. Luu-The, A. Tchernof
Related Content
Claims (7)
Scientists found that the activity of a specific gene (11β-HSD1) in belly fat can help predict how much belly fat a woman has, even after accounting for her total body fat, age, and whether she's gone through menopause.
Doctors found that fat around the organs in women's bellies has more of certain proteins that handle stress hormones compared to the fat under the skin.
In women, higher levels of a specific enzyme (11β-HSD1) in fat tissue are linked to having more body fat, especially around the belly.
Researchers looked at several genes related to stress hormones in fat tissue from women's bellies. They found that only one specific gene (11β-HSD1) in the omental fat was linked to belly fat obesity in women, even after accounting for other factors that might affect the results.
In women who have fat stored around their internal organs (visceral obesity), the fat tissue produces more of a specific enzyme and hormone related to stress compared to women without this type of fat buildup.
In women, a higher amount of a specific enzyme called H6PDH in the fat around the organs is linked to having less body fat overall.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.