A sequential two meal challenge reveals abnormalities in postprandial TAG but not glucose in men with increasing numbers of metabolic syndrome components.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the impact of increasing numbers of metabolic syndrome (MetS) components on postprandial lipaemia.

METHODS

Healthy men (n=112) underwent a sequential meal postprandial investigation, in which blood samples were taken at regular intervals after a test breakfast (0min) and lunch (330min). Lipids, glucose and insulin were measured in the fasting sample, with triacylglycerol (TAG), non-esterified fatty acids and glucose analysed in the postprandial samples.

RESULTS

Subjects were grouped according to the number of MetS components regardless of the combinations of components (0/1, 2, 3 and 4/5). As expected, there was a trend for an increase in body mass index, blood pressure, fasting TAG, glucose and insulin, and a decrease in fasting high-density lipoprotein cholesterol with increasing numbers of MetS components (P≤0.0004). A similar trend was observed for the summary measures of the postprandial TAG and glucose responses. For TAG, the area under the curve (AUC) and maximum concentration (maxC) were significantly greater in men with ≥3 than <3 components (P<0.001), whereas incremental AUC was greater in those with 3 than 0/1 and 2, and 4/5 compared with 2 components (P<0.04). For glucose, maxC after the test breakfast (0-330min) and total AUC (0-480min) were higher in men with ≥3 than <3 components (P≤0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Our data analysis has revealed a linear trend between increasing numbers of MetS components and magnitude (AUC) of the postprandial TAG and glucose responses. Furthermore, the two meal challenge discriminated a worsening of postprandial lipaemic control in subjects with ≥3 MetS components.