Postprandial lipemia in obese men with abdominal fat patterning.

Objective. The purpose of this study was to assess differences in measures of postprandial triglyceride (TG) clearance between obese men with abdominal fat patterning (OAF) and men of desirable weight (DW). It was hypothesized that the OAF men would have impaired postprandial TG clearance. Experimental design. A comparative design was used. Setting. Data were collected in a research laboratory with access to blood analysis instrumentation. Participants. Fourteen healthy, physically active, normolipemic men (7 OAF and 7 DW) were studied. Interventions. Each subject consumed an oral fat load (78 grams of fat) and blood samples were collected every hour for 8 hours. Measures. Measures of postprandial lipemia included: incremental TG area, total TG area, time to peak TG concentration, maximal change in TG concentration, and time to return to baseline TG concentration. Results. OAF men had significantly greater total area under the TG curve (24.7±1.09 vs 16.1±1.3 mmol-L -1 .8 hours, p=0.003) and greater maximum TG change (2.0±0.3 vs 1.2±0.2 mmol-L. -1 , p=0.03) following the oral fat load. Additionally, the total area under the TG curve was positively correlated with baseline TG concentrations (r=0.53) and inversely correlated with baseline HDL 2 concentrations (r=0.64). Baseline HDL 2 concentrations were inversely correlated with time to return to TG baseline (r=0.57). Conclusions. Normal fasting lipoprotein profiles and regular physical activity do not preclude OAF men from having pronounced postprandial lipemia.