The purpose of this study was to examine sex and race differences in the relationship between anthropometric measurements and adiposity in white and African-American (AA) adults. Visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) areas were measured with computed tomography (CT). Fat mass (FM) was measured with dual-energy-X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Correlation coefficients were used to assess the relationship of waist circumference (WC) and BMI to VAT, SAT, and FM within sex-by-race groups. General linear models were used to compare relationships between WC or BMI, and adiposity across sex and race, within age groups (18–39 and 40–64 years). The sample included 1,667 adults (men: 489 white; 120 AA; women: 666 white, 392 AA). WC and BMI correlations were highest for FM and SAT compared to VAT. Women had higher FM levels than men regardless of WC, but the sex difference in FM was attenuated in younger AA adults with a high BMI. For a given level of WC or BMI, women had higher levels of SAT than men; however, significant interactions indicated that the relationship was not consistent across all levels of BMI and WC. Sex and race differences in VAT varied significantly with WC and BMI. In general, white adults had higher levels of VAT than AA adults at higher levels of BMI and WC. Sex differences, and in some instances race differences, in the relationships between anthropometry and fat-specific depots demonstrate that these characteristics need to be considered when predicting adiposity from WC or BMI.

. Two-year Internet-based randomized controlled trial for weight loss in African-American girls. Obesity. 2006;14:1231-1243. Objective: A randomized controlled trial tested the efficacy of an internet-based lifestyle behavior modification program for African-American girls over a 2-year period of intervention. Research Methods and Procedures: Fifty-seven overweight (mean BMI percentile, 98.3) African-American girls (mean age, 13.2 years) were randomly assigned to an interactive behavioral internet program or an internet health education program, the control condition. Overweight parents were also participants in the study. Forty adolescentparent dyads (70%) completed the 2-year trial. Outcome data including BMI, body weight, body composition, and weight loss behaviors were collected at baseline and at 6-month intervals. A computer server tracked use of the web sites. Results: An intention-to-treat statistical approach was used, with the last observation carried forward. In comparison with the control condition, adolescents in the behavioral program lost more mean body fat (BF) (Ϫ1.12 Ϯ 0.47% vs. 0.43 Ϯ 0.47% BF, p Ͻ 0.05), and parents in the behavioral program lost significantly more mean body weight (Ϫ2.43 Ϯ 0.66 vs. Ϫ0.35 Ϯ 0.64 kg, p Ͻ 0.05) during the first 6 months. This weight loss was regained over the next 18 months. After 2 years, differences in fat for adolescents (Ϫ0.08 Ϯ 0.71% vs. 0.84 Ϯ 0.72% BF) and weight for parents (Ϫ1.1 Ϯ 0.91 vs. Ϫ0.60 Ϯ 0.89 kg) did not differ between the behavioral and control programs. Discussion: An internet-based weight management program for African-American adolescent girls and their parents resulted in weight loss during the first 6 months but did not yield long-term loss due to reduced use of the web site over time.

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Sedentary adults (N = 379) were randomly assigned in a 2 x 2 design to walk 30 min per day at a frequency of either 3-4 or 5-7 days per week, at an intensity of either 45%-55% or 65%-75% of maximum heart rate reserve. Analyses of exercise accumulated over 6 months showed greater amounts completed in the higher frequency (p = .0001) and moderate intensity (p = .021) conditions. Analyses of percentage of prescribed exercise completed showed greater adherence in the moderate intensity(p = .02) condition. Prescribing a higher frequency increased the accumulation of exercise without a decline in adherence, whereas prescribing a higher intensity decreased adherence and resulted in the completion of less exercise.

Abdominal visceral adiposity is significantly greater in white men and women. After adjustment for covariates, white men and women had significantly lower SAT than did African American men and women. The results of this study highlight the heterogeneity of human body fat distribution across racial groups.This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT00959270.