Effect of Weight Loss on Liver Free Fatty Acid Uptake and Hepatic Insulin Resistance

Objective: Weight loss has been shown to decrease liver fat content and whole-body insulin resistance. The current study was conducted to investigate the simultaneous effects of rapid weight reduction with a very-low-calorie diet on liver glucose and fatty acid metabolism and liver adiposity. Hypothesis: We hypothesized that liver insulin resistance and free fatty acid uptake would decrease after weight loss and that they are associated with reduction of liver fat content. Design: Thirty-four healthy obese subjects (body mass index, 33.7 ± 8.0 kg/m2) were studied before and after a very-low-calorie diet for 6 wk. Hepatic glucose uptake and endogenous glucose production were measured with [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose during hyperinsulinemic euglycemia and fasting hepatic fatty acid uptake with [18F]fluoro-6-thia-heptadecanoic acid and positron emission tomography. Liver volume and fat content were measured using magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy. Results: Subjects lost weight (11.2 ± 2.9 kg; P < 0.000...