Adiposity and body fat distribution are both heritable traits, while the heritability of body fat distribution is distinct from that of overall adiposity [40], [41], [42], [43]. Body fat distribution is divided into two general types: android (upper body or ‘apple’ shape) and gynoid (lower body or ‘pear’ shape), where an android fat distribution is more commonly associated with adverse metabolic outcomes [44]. Recent evidence suggests that these differences are driven by adipocytes at different fat depots, which have unique physiological functions and metabolism [45], [46], [47]. As the relative distribution of adipose tissue on the human body is related to the risk of general metabolic dysregulation, characterisation of the molecular phenotypes in the different adipose tissue depots is an essential step towards uncovering the individual molecular mechanisms associated with adiposity and related disease risk.
