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Effects of dietary fat modification on insulin sensitivity and on other risk factors of the metabolic syndrome—LIPGENE: a European randomized dietary intervention study

International Journal of Obesity volume 35, pages 800–809 (2011)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Background:

Excessive energy intake and obesity lead to the metabolic syndrome (MetS). Dietary saturated fatty acids (SFAs) may be particularly detrimental on insulin sensitivity (SI) and on other components of the MetS.

Objective:

This study determined the relative efficacy of reducing dietary SFA, by isoenergetic alteration of the quality and quantity of dietary fat, on risk factors associated with MetS.

Design:

A free-living, single-blinded dietary intervention study.

Subjects and Methods:

MetS subjects (n=417) from eight European countries completed the randomized dietary intervention study with four isoenergetic diets distinct in fat quantity and quality: high-SFA; high-monounsaturated fatty acids and two low-fat, high-complex carbohydrate (LFHCC) diets, supplemented with long chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC n-3 PUFAs) (1.2 g per day) or placebo for 12 weeks. SI estimated from an intravenous glucose tolerance test (IVGTT) was the primary outcome measure. Lipid and inflammatory markers associated with MetS were also determined.

Results:

In weight-stable subjects, reducing dietary SFA intake had no effect on SI, total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentration, inflammation or blood pressure in the entire cohort. The LFHCC n-3 PUFA diet reduced plasma triacylglycerol (TAG) and non-esterified fatty acid concentrations (P<0.01), particularly in men.

Conclusion:

There was no effect of reducing SFA on SI in weight-stable obese MetS subjects. LC n-3 PUFA supplementation, in association with a low-fat diet, improved TAG-related MetS risk profiles.

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Acknowledgements

LIPGENE was funded by the EU 6 Framework Food Safety & Quality Programme, Contract no. 505944, ‘Diet, genomics, and the metabolic syndrome: an integrated nutrition, agro-food, social and economic analysis.’ Funds were also obtained from the Norwegian Foundation for Health and Rehabilitation, South-Eastern Norway Regional Health Authority, the Johan Throne Holst Foundation for Nutrition Research and the Freia Medical Research Foundation. We thank Dr John Kearney for advice on statistical analyses. We gratefully acknowledge the study subjects participating in the 12-week intervention study. HMR, MJG, CMW, CAD, JAL, WHMS, EEB, CAD, BV, BK, ADK and JLM designed the research. ACT, JMM, DIS, HLG, OH, JAP and IGL implemented the dietary intervention, completed biochemical analysis and analysed the data; ACT and HMR wrote the paper. HMR had primary responsibility for final content. All authors read and approved the final paper. This study was supported by the EU Sixth Framework Food Safety & Quality Programme, Contract Number (FOOD-2003-CT-505944). Intervention Foods supplied by Unilever Best Foods, Vlaardingen, The Netherlands. LC n-3 PUFA supplement (Marinol C-38; 1.24 g per day LC n-3 PUFA) and placebo high-oleic acid sunflower seed oil supplement were supplied by Lipid Nutrition, Loders Croklaan Wormerveer, The Netherlands.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Nutrigenomics Research Group, UCD Conway Institute & UCD Institute of Food & Health, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland

    A C Tierney, J McMonagle, M J Gibney & H M Roche

  2. Hugh Sinclair Unit of Human Nutrition & Institute for Cardiovascular and Metabolic Research, University of Reading, Reading, UK

    D I Shaw, C M Williams & J A Lovegrove

  3. Department of Endocrinology, Oslo University Hospital Aker, Oslo, Norway

    H L Gulseth

  4. Department of Nutrition, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway

    H L Gulseth & C A Drevon

  5. INSERM, 476 Human Nutrition and Lipids, INRA, 1260, University Méditerranée Aix-Marseille 2, Faculty of Medicine, IPHM-IFR 125, Marseille, France

    O Helal & C Defoort

  6. Department of Human Biology, Nutrition and Toxicology Research Institute Maastricht, Maastricht, The Netherlands

    W H M Saris & E E Blaak

  7. Lipid and Atherosclerosis Unit, Reina Sofia University Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Cordoba, CIBER Physiopathology of Obesity and Nutrition, Cordoba, Spain

    J A Paniagua & J López-Miranda

  8. Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kopernika 15A, Krakow, Poland

    I Gołąbek-Leszczyñska & A Dembinska-Kiec

  9. Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences/Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden

    B Karsltröm & B Vessby

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  1. A C Tierney
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Correspondence to H M Roche.

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Tierney, A., McMonagle, J., Shaw, D. et al. Effects of dietary fat modification on insulin sensitivity and on other risk factors of the metabolic syndrome—LIPGENE: a European randomized dietary intervention study. Int J Obes 35, 800–809 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1038/ijo.2010.209

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