title: Effects of a high-fat meal on pulmonary function in healthy subjects.
abstract: Obesity has important health consequences, including elevating risk for heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. A high-fat diet is known to contribute to obesity. Little is known regarding the effect of a high-fat diet on pulmonary function, despite the dramatic increase in the prevalence of respiratory ailments (e.g., asthma). The purpose of our study was to determine whether a high-fat meal (HFM) would increase airway inflammation and decrease pulmonary function in healthy subjects. Pulmonary function tests (PFT) (forced expiratory volume in 1-s, forced vital capacity, forced expiratory flow at 25-75% of vital capacity) and exhaled nitric oxide (eNO; airway inflammation) were performed in 20 healthy (10 men, 10 women), inactive subjects (age 21.9 +/- 0.4 years) pre and 2 h post HFM (1 g fat/1 kg body weight; 74.2 +/- 4.1 g fat). Total cholesterol, triglycerides, and C-reactive protein (CRP; systemic inflammation) were determined via a venous blood sample pre and post HFM. Body composition was measured via dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. The HFM significantly increased total cholesterol by 4 +/- 1%, and triglycerides by 93 +/- 3%. ENO also increased (p < 0.05) due to the HFM by 19 +/- 1% (pre 17.2 +/- 1.6; post 20.6 +/- 1.7 ppb). ENO and triglycerides were significantly related at baseline and post-HFM (r = 0.82, 0.72 respectively). Despite the increased eNO, PFT or CRP did not change (p > 0.05) with the HFM. These results demonstrate that a HFM, which leads to significant increases in total cholesterol, and especially triglycerides, increases exhaled NO. This suggests that a high-fat diet may contribute to chronic inflammatory diseases of the airway and lung.
authors.affiliation: Department of Kinesiology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA.
authors.forename: Sara K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Rosenkranz
authors.forename: Dana K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Townsend
authors.forename: Suzanne E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Steffens
authors.forename: Craig A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Harms
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000328:Adult; D001823:Body Composition; D001944:Breath Tests; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000097:blood; D045853:Exhalation; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006801:Humans; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000097:blood; D008168:Lung / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008450:Maximal Midexpiratory Flow Rate; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D019518:Postprandial Period; D013997:Time Factors; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D014797:Vital Capacity; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004041:Dietary Fats; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D014280:Triglycerides; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D002784:Cholesterol