Visceral, Hepatic Fat Linked to Carotid Atherosclerosis

THURSDAY, Oct. 23, 2025 (HealthDay News) -- Visceral fat and hepatic fat (HF) are associated with carotid atherosclerosis, according to a study published online Oct. 17 in Communications Medicine.Russell J. de Souza, Sc.D., R.D., from McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, and colleagues examined whether visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and HF are associated with carotid atherosclerosis beyond traditional risk factors among 6,760 participants in the Canadian Alliance of Healthy Hearts and Minds (CAHHM) cohort study. The associations of VAT and HF with carotid atherosclerosis were assessed separately in men and women, controlling for other cardiovascular risk factors. In addition, associations of VAT and proton-density hepatic fat fraction (PDFF) with ultrasound-measured carotid-intima media thickness (CIMT) were examined among 26,547 participants from the U.K. Biobank.The researchers found that a one-standard deviation (SD) higher VAT volume was associated with a 6.16-mm3 higher carotid wall volume (CWV) in CAHHM, but no association was seen for hepatic fat fraction (HFF) and CWV. A one-SD higher VAT volume was associated with a 0.016 ± 0.009-mm higher CIMT, and a one-SD higher PDFF was associated with a 0.012 ± 0.010-mm higher CIMT in the U.K. Biobank. These associations were attenuated after adjustment for cardiovascular risk factors. In a pooled analysis, a direct positive association was seen for VAT and HFF with subclinical atherosclerosis in both sexes, with the association weaker for hepatic fat."This study shows that even after accounting for traditional cardiovascular risk factors like cholesterol and blood pressure, visceral and liver fat still contribute to artery damage," de Souza said in a statement.Several authors disclosed ties to the biopharmaceutical industry.Abstract/Full Text.Sign up for our weekly HealthDay newsletter

Visceral, Hepatic Fat Linked to Carotid Atherosclerosis

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