Various concurrent methods are advocated for non-invasively quantifying liver and/or regional abdominal fat content. In 17 healthy men with a wide range of body mass indexes, liver fat content (LFAT) was quantified by both magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), and its relationship with body fat distribution, insulin sensitivity (HOMA score), plasma lipids and lipoproteins was investigated. Measurements of LFAT by MRI and MRS were highly correlated (P<0.001) and LFAT by MRI was significantly correlated with plasma triglycerides, insulin, HOMA score, carbohydrate intake and all abdominal adipose tissue compartments (P<0.05) and inversely correlated with plasma adiponectin (P<0.05) in univariate regression analysis. In multivariate adjusted linear regression analysis, intra-peritoneal adipose tissue masses were an independent predictor of both LFAT (P=0.024) and HOMA score whereas LFAT was a significant predictor of plasma triglycerides. LFAT may thus link intra-abdominal fat with insulin resistance and dyslipidemia.