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Serum lipids, serum insulin, plasma fibrinogen and aerobic capacity in obese and non-obese Singaporean boys

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To compare blood lipids, lipoproteins, apoproteins, fibrinogen, insulin and aerobic capacity in obese and non-obese Chinese Singaporean boys. To examine relationships between blood metabolites, body composition and aerobic capacity in these groups.

DESIGN: Cross-sectional

SUBJECTS: Forty Chinese Singaporean boys aged 13–15 y. Classified as obese (n=20) or non-obese (n=20) based on adiposity (fat mass/fat free mass):>0.60=obese,<0.40=non-obese.

MEASUREMENTS: Body composition (dual energy X-ray absorptiometry), waist circumference, peak oxygen consumption (VO2 peak), serum concentrations of total cholesterol, triacylglycerol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), total cholesterol/HDL-C, apoproteins AI and B, lipoprotein(a), insulin and glucose. Plasma concentration of fibrinogen.

RESULTS: Obese boys had significantly (P<0.01) higher (mean±s.d.) concentrations of serum triacylglycerol (1.51±0.65 vs 1.04±0.34 mmol/l), serum insulin (24.1±11.5 vs 12.3±4.45 mU/l) and plasma fibrinogen (4.01±0.54 vs 3.35±0.76 g/l) than non-obese boys. Within the non-obese group plasma fibrinogen concentration was significantly related to percentage body fat (r=0.546, P<0.05). VO2 peak relative to body mass (ml/kg/min or ml/kg−0.67/min) was significantly (P<0.001) lower in obese compared to non-obese boys but absolute VO2 peak (l/min), adjusted for fat-free mass via analysis of covariance, was higher in obese than non-obese boys (P<0.01). Partial correlations revealed that none of the blood metabolites were significantly related to VO2 peak independent of body fatness.

CONCLUSIONS: Obesity was related to elevated concentrations of serum triacylglycerol, serum insulin and plasma fibrinogen in Chinese Singaporean boys. These elevated concentrations did not appear to be associated with a lower aerobic capacity (independent of body fatness) in the obese.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the students from Catholic High School who participated in the study. We also thank the staff at Catholic High School, in particular Madam Parameswari Thambusamy and Mr Benjamin Kwok, for allowing us into their school and assisting in the administration of this study. Finally, we thank Miss Joyce Tan Bee Lian and Miss Gillian Ng Bee Kit for their help with the exercise tests. This research was funded by the Academic Research Fund, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, RP 21/95 DS.

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Correspondence to DJ Stensel.

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Stensel, D., Lin, FP., Ho, T. et al. Serum lipids, serum insulin, plasma fibrinogen and aerobic capacity in obese and non-obese Singaporean boys. Int J Obes 25, 984–989 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0801667

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