Low concentrations of insulin-like growth factor-I in abdominal obesity.

Growth hormone secretion is blunted in obesity. Recent studies have shown that the sub-group of obesity with preponderance of accumulation of fat in visceral depots is associated with endocrine abnormalities. We therefore measured IGF-I concentrations in serum in 27 men who also underwent computerized tomography measurements of regional and total body fat mass. Furthermore, euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic glucose clamps were used to determine insulin resistance, and established «risk factors» for cardiovascular disease and non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus were measured, i.e. blood pressure, plasma lipids, and blood glucose, as well as sex steroid hormones