Postprandial triglyceridemia in obese and non-obese adolescents. Importance of body composition and fat distribution.
BACKGROUND
It has recently been shown that obese adults have a disturbed metabolism of postprandial lipoproteins, resulting in postprandial hypertriglyceridemia. To the best of our knowledge, there are no data about postprandial triglyceridemia in obese and non-obese children and adolescents.


METHODS
12 obese and 12 non-obese adolescents, aged 11.0 to 13.8 years.


METHODS
Body composition and fat distribution (waist-to-hip circumference ratio and triceps/ subscapular skinfold thickness ratio) were assessed by anthropometry. An oral fat tolerance test was carried out, and fasting and postprandial lipid-lipoprotein serum concentrations were measured.


RESULTS
We observed a significant increase in triglyceride serum concentrations 2 and 4 hours after the oral fat load, in both obese and non-obese adolescents. In obese and non-obese adolescents there were significant correlations between some variables of postprandial lipemia and the studied indices of body fat distribution. When we compare postprandial lipemia in adolescents having a central pattern of fat distribution with those having a peripheral pattern of fat distribution, we observed higher variables related to postprandial lipemia in those having a central pattern of fat distribution compared with those with a peripheral pattern (sum of serum triglyceride concentrations: 6.06 vs 4.41, p = 0.0243).


CONCLUSIONS
We present a protocol to study postprandial lipemia in children and adolescents that allowed us to observe significant changes after an oral fat load. Results obtained indicate that the pattern of distribution of adipose tissue may be more important for lipid metabolism disturbances than total adipose tissue per se.
Moreno
L A
LA
Department of Pediatrics, Clinical University Hospital Lozano Blesa, Faculty of Medicine, University of Zaragoza, Spain. lmoreno@posta.unizar.es
Quintela
I
I
Fleta
J
J
Sarría
A
A
Roda
L
L
Giner
A
A
Bueno
M
M
D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000473:pathology; D000293:Adolescent; D000886:Anthropometry; D001823:Body Composition; D001824:Body Constitution; D002648:Child; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D019518:Postprandial Period; D012016:Reference Values; D012885:Skinfold Thickness; D013997:Time Factors; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood*
D004041:Dietary Fats; D008055:Lipids; D014280:Triglycerides