VAT and SAT were measured on CT following protocols established by each study as detailed in the Study-Specific Methods. We created sex-specific residuals adjusting for age, age-squared, smoking and principal components derived from genotypes denoting population stratification. The following traits were created in the overall sample and in women and men separately for each participating study: VAT, SAT, VAT-adjusted-for-BMI, and VAT/SAT ratio. VAT-adjusted-for-BMI provides insight into the relative amount of VAT controlling for the degree of generalized adiposity, whereas the VAT/SAT ratio is a metric of the propensity to deposit fat viscerally as compared to subcutaneously. The VAT/SAT ratio has been previously shown to be associated with cardiometabolic risk factors [47]. The correlation between VAT-adjusted-for-BMI and the VAT/SAT ratio in the Family Heart Study is 0.76 (p<0.0001; N = 2658).
