Fig. 2.

Comparison of free fatty acid levels among subgroups with different body fat distribution and diabetes development. Subgroups were divided by (A) obesity, (B) abdominal obesity, (C) liver steatosis, (D) pancreatic fat infiltration, and (E) diabetes development. Obesity was defined as a body mass index (BMI) ≥25 kg/m²; abdominal obesity was defined as a waist circumference >90 cm for men and >80 cm for women; subjects was classified as absent, mild, moderate and severe steatosis based on the average liver fat content assessed using the magnetic resonance imaging proton density fat fraction (MRI-PDFF); pancreatic fat infiltration was defined as an average pancreatic fat content ≥5%, as assessed by MRI-PDFF. NAFLD, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease; FFA, free fatty acid; NS, not significant; SD, standard deviation. ^aP<0.05, ^bP<0.01, ^cP<0.001, ^dP<0.0001.