Their findings suggest that looking at how fat is distributed across the whole body, including in and around multiple organs, could help identify people at higher risk and support more personalised prevention and treatment in future.
The study, published in the European Heart Journal and presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress in Munich, was supported by the National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre (BRC): Oxford and the NIHR BRC: Barts.
Using detailed magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans from almost 25,000 UK Biobank participants, the research team found six distinct patterns of fat build-up across various organs and areas of the body, including the liver, pancreas, heart, muscles and abdominal compartments. These patterns were linked to differences in body composition, heart structure and future risk of disease.
Read the full story on the Nuffield Department of Population Health website.