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  • Original Article
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Effect of weight loss on the postprandial response to high-fat and high-carbohydrate meals in obese women

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 61, pages 711–718 (2007)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective:

To assess the effect of weight loss on the plasma lipid and remnant-like lipoprotein cholesterol (RLPc) response to a high-fat or a high-carbohydrate meal in a population of obese women.

Design:

Nutritional intervention study.

Subjects:

Sixteen obese women (mean body mass index (BMI): 37.6±5 kg/m2).

Methods:

Subjects were asked to follow an energy-restricted diet (800 kcal/day) for 7 weeks, followed by a 1-week maintenance diet. Before and after weight loss, each participant was given (in random order) two iso-energetic meals containing either 80% fat and 20% protein (the high-fat meal) or 80% carbohydrate and 20% protein (the high-carbohydrate meal). Blood samples were collected over the following 10-h period. A two-way analysis of variance with repeated measures was used to assess the effect of the meal and postprandial time on biological variables and postprandial responses (notably RLPc levels).

Results:

Weight loss was associated with a significant decrease in fasting triglyceride (P=0.0102), cholesterol (P<0.0001), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (P=0.0003), high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (P=0.0009) and RLPc (P=0.0015) levels. The triglyceride response to the high-fat meal was less intense after weight reduction than before (interaction P<0.002). This effect persisted after adjustment on baseline triglyceride levels. The triglyceride response to the high-carbohydrate meal was biphasic (i.e. with two peaks, 1 and 6 h after carbohydrate intake). After adjustment on baseline values, weight reduction was associated with a trend towards a reduction in the magnitude of the second triglyceride peak (interaction P<0.054). In contrast, there was no difference in postprandial RLPc responses before and after weight loss, again after adjustment on baseline levels.

Conclusion:

Our data suggest that weight loss preferentially affects postprandial triglyceride metabolism.

Sponsorship:

Insudiet company (France), Conseil Regional Nord Pas de Calais and Institut Pasteur de Lille.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the staff of the Lille University Medical Center's Clinical Investigation Center (C.I.C). The help of D Fraser in editorial revision of the manuscript was greatly appreciated.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Service d'Epidémiologie et Santé Publique, Institut Pasteur de Lille, INSERM, U744, Lille, Cedex, France

    J Dallongeville & E Gruson

  2. Nutrition Service, Lille University Hospital, Lille, Cedex, France

    E Gruson, M Pigeyre, S Gomila & M Romon

  3. Department of Vascular Medicine, Erasmus Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

    G Dallinga-Thie

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  1. J Dallongeville
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Correspondence to J Dallongeville.

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Dallongeville, J., Gruson, E., Dallinga-Thie, G. et al. Effect of weight loss on the postprandial response to high-fat and high-carbohydrate meals in obese women. Eur J Clin Nutr 61, 711–718 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602603

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