Association of Thyroid Function and Hormone Sensitivity With Abdominal Fat in Individuals With Overweight and Obesity
Authors' conclusion
Higher TSH, higher FT3 levels, and variations in thyroid hormone sensitivity were associated with adverse visceral and hepatic fat accumulation in adults with overweight and obesity.
Study context
- Population
- Adults with overweight and obesity (53.3% women), mean body mass index (BMI) 32.9 (5.9) kg/m²
- Participants
- 272 adults
- Outcome
- Associations of thyroid hormone levels and indices of thyroid hormone sensitivity with abdominal fat depots (subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT), VAT, liver fat content, pancreatic fat content)
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Associations of thyroid parameters with abdominal fat depots (multivariate linear regression adjusted for age, sex, BMI, TG and total cholesterol)
- Higher TSH with higher visceral adipose tissue (VAT), β
- 16.47 (6.30, 26.63) (95% CI)
- Higher TSH with higher liver fat content (LFC), β
- 2.87 (0.68, 5.05) (95% CI)
- Higher FT3 with greater VAT, β
- 9.40 (0.45, 18.35) (95% CI)
- Higher FT3 with greater LFC, β
- 2.17 (0.27, 4.06) (95% CI)
- Reduced central sensitivity to thyroid hormone (higher TT4RI and TSHI) with higher VAT, β
- 0.33 (0.11, 0.56) (95% CI)
- Reduced central sensitivity to thyroid hormone (higher TT4RI and TSHI) with higher LFC, β
- 1.98 (0.04, 3.93) (95% CI)
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Original publication
Association of Thyroid Function and Hormone Sensitivity With Abdominal Fat in Individuals With Overweight and Obesity. Diabetes Obes Metab. Published 17 May 2026. doi:10.
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