BEIJING, July 23 (Xinhuanet) -- The blood level of a chemical transporter for vitamin A called retinol-binding protein (RBP4) is a better predictor of "intraabdomianl fat" and insulin resistance than several other blood tests, according to media reports Monday quoting a medical report.

    The report published in U.S. Cell Metabolism is based on a research conducted by Dr. Timothy Graham from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, Boston, involving 196 subjects.

    "Intraabdomianl fat" is a type of fat inside the abdomen that is not visible, and insulin resistance is a disturbance in sugar metabolism associated with the development of type 2 diabetes.

    The research shows increased level of RBP4 is seen in subjects with high amounts of "intraabdominal fat" and in those with insulin resistance.

    So the increased blood levels of RBP4 "appear to be a very good indicator of insulin resistance and increased intraabdominal fat, two risk factors that are notoriously difficult to assess since they require complicated biochemical testing and advanced imaging techniques," Graham said.

    Monitoring RBP4 levels "may one day provide a simple tool for assessing these risks and tailoring treatments in patients," Graham concluded.

    (Agencies)