This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. Obesity, as represented by BMI, is associated with increased risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) and the metabolic syndrome (MS), conditions with a high prevalence in Mexican Americans (MA). However, the distribution of fat is not characterized by BMI, particularly in different ethnic groups. For example, Chinese have the same level of fat at lower BMI than non-Hispanic whites (NHW), whereas blacks have the same level of fat at higher BMI. This relation is unknown in MA. Also unknown is the relation of abdominal fat, a measure of fat distribution, with a given level of BMI or body fat in MAs. Because MAs are at higher risk of DM2, MA may have higher levels of risk factors for MS at the same level of abdominal or body fat than NHWs. We hypothesize 1) waist circumference is similar at the given level of BMI in MA and NHW women, but that the proportion of abdominal and total body fat is greater among MA than NHWs for a given BMI; 2) greater levels of risk factors for MS will occur at lower BMI in MAs than NHWs, except for blood pressure, and 3)lower blood pressure in MAs than NHWs is due to greater intake of plant foods. Therefore, we propose to study height, weight, waist circumference, total body fat, and abdominal fat by anthropometry and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, risk factors for MS and DM2, and dietary intake in 200 Hispanic and NHW women.
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