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Adipose tissue

Visceral Fat Rating Shows Promise as Reliable Marker for Prediabetes and Type 2 Diabetes

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Researchers at Medical University of Lublin have made a significant discovery in the field of obesity and diabetes. According to a study published in Clinical Diabetology, visceral fat rating (VFR), obtained via bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), is a distinct cardiometabolic health risk marker that can be used to assess the risk of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in real-world settings. The study analyzed data from 650 patients with overweight or obesity and found that VFR significantly differentiated patients across different glucose metabolism groups, outperforming traditional anthropometric parameters such as body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC).

Key Takeaways:

  • The study involved 650 patients with overweight or obesity, including 513 women, who were admitted to the Department of Endocrinology, Diabetology, and Metabolic Diseases between July 2020 and December 2023.
  • VFR was measured using a Tanita BIA device and found to be a reliable and practical marker associated with glycemic dysregulation in real-world clinical settings.
  • VFR outperformed traditional anthropometrics such as BMI and WC in differentiating patients across Normal Glucose Metabolism (NGM), Prediabetes, and T2DM groups.
  • Among women, VFR and WC were the most effective markers, while BMI and percentage body fat (PBF) showed limited differentiation.
  • Among men, VFR was the strongest differentiator in the NGM vs. T2DM comparison.
  • VFR correlated strongly with glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels, outperforming traditional anthropometrics.

Statistics:

  • 650 patients with overweight or obesity were included in the study, of which 513 were women.
  • VFR showed high effect sizes in distinguishing patients across NGM, Prediabetes, and T2DM groups.
  • VFR correlated strongly with HbA1c levels (R² = 0.84).
  • BMI and WC showed limited differentiation in differentiating patients across NGM, Prediabetes, and T2DM groups.

Sources:

  • Is bioimpedance visceral adiposity better in assessing glycemic dysregulation risk than classic anthropometrics in real-world setting? A cross-sectional real-world data analysis, a part of Lublin Comorbidity of Adiposity Study (LUCAS 1.2). Clinical Diabetology, 2025,14(4). (Clinical Diabetology - https://journals.viamedica.pl/diabetologia_kliniczna/index).
  • Medical University of Lublin Researchers Provide New Data on Obesity and Diabetes [Is bioimpedance visceral adiposity better in assessing glycemic dysregulation risk than classic anthropometrics in real-world setting? A cross-sectional ...]. Obesity & Diabetes Week. October 20, 2025; p 55.

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