INS and Obesity: With the exception of leptin, serum molecules associated with adipose tissue and obesity (e.g., total or LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose, insulin) did not independently correlate with VL in our cohort, in contrast with prior reports that VL could predict BMI in HIV-infected women [2], and correlate negatively with LDL and HDL cholesterol and positively with triglycerides, but not with insulin or glucose levels [34,35].