Pathangi Dhanya O, Quirk Alexis R, Schifferer Jenna K, Fruit Sarah E, Higgins Morgan E, Wolf Emily R, Tsotsoros Cindy E, Emerson Sam R, Keirns Bryant H
Department of Nutrition and Health Science, Ball State University, Muncie, IN 47303, USA.
Department of Human Development and Family Science, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, USA.
Metabolites. 2025 Aug 15;15(8):550. doi: 10.3390/metabo15080550.
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Normal-weight obesity describes those with a normal body mass index (BMI) and high body fat percent. Older adults with normal-weight obesity (NWO-O) are at increased risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD), but underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This pilot study examined whether NWO-O had an unfavorable cardiometabolic response to acute high-fat meal intake compared to normal BMI, low body fat percent individuals that were both older (NWL-O) and younger (NWL-Y).
Participants (N = 29) with a normal BMI were grouped as follows: NWL-Y (18-35 years, low body fat percent; n = 12), NWL-O (≥60 years, low body fat percent; n = 9), and NWO-O (≥60 years, high body fat percent; n = 8). All participants completed an abbreviated fat tolerance test (75 g fat). Fasting and 4 h blood samples were collected to measure lipids (triglycerides and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol [HDL-C]), biomarkers of intestinal permeability (lipopolysaccharide binding protein [LBP] and soluble cluster of differentiation [sCD14]), and the inflammatory marker interleukin (IL)-6.
NWO-O had higher percent, absolute, and trunk fat compared to NWL-Y and NWL-O ('s ≤ 0.01). Conversely, percent lean mass was lower in NWO-O versus both NWL groups ('s ≤ 0.01). NWO-O had higher fasting triglycerides than NWL-Y ( < 0.05), but all groups were in the clinically normal range on average (≤107 mg/dL). However, NWO-O had higher 4 h triglycerides (239.4 ± 101.0 mg/dL) compared to NWL-Y and NWL-O ( < 0.01), consistent with an adverse response. The absolute change in triglycerides was higher in NWO-O relative to NWL-Y ( < 0.01), but not compared to NWL-O ( = 0.06). Fasting IL-6 was higher in NWO-O relative to NWL-Y ( < 0.05). Fasting and 4 h sCD14 were similarly higher in NWL-O and NWO-O versus NWL-Y ('s < 0.01).
NWO-O had an exaggerated postprandial triglyceride response compared to younger and similar-aged NWL individuals, which could reflect hepatic very low-density lipoprotein overproduction or impaired triglyceride clearance. Future work should continue to investigate the role of postprandial dyslipidemia in NWO-O's reported CVD risk.
背景/目的：正常体重肥胖是指那些身体质量指数（BMI）正常但体脂百分比高的人群。患有正常体重肥胖的老年人（NWO - O）患心血管疾病（CVD）的风险增加，但其潜在机制尚不清楚。这项初步研究探讨了与正常BMI、低体脂百分比的老年人（NWL - O）和年轻人（NWL - Y）相比，NWO - O对急性高脂餐摄入是否有不良的心脏代谢反应。
BMI正常的参与者（N = 29）分为以下几组：NWL - Y（18 - 35岁，低体脂百分比；n = 12），NWL - O（≥60岁，低体脂百分比；n = 9），以及NWO - O（≥60岁，高体脂百分比；n = 8）。所有参与者均完成了简化的脂肪耐量试验（75克脂肪）。采集空腹和4小时后的血样以测量血脂（甘油三酯和高密度脂蛋白胆固醇[HDL - C]）、肠道通透性生物标志物（脂多糖结合蛋白[LBP]和可溶性分化簇[sCD14]）以及炎症标志物白细胞介素（IL）-6。
与NWL - Y和NWL - O相比，NWO - O的体脂百分比、绝对体脂和躯干脂肪更高（P≤0.01）。相反，NWO - O的瘦体重百分比低于两个NWL组（P≤0.01）NWO - O的空腹甘油三酯高于NWL - Y（P < 0.05），但所有组平均处于临床正常范围内（≤107mg/dL）。然而，与NWL - Y和NWL - O相比，NWO - O的4小时甘油三酯更高（239.4±101.0mg/dL）（P < 0.01），这与不良反应一致。NWO - O的甘油三酯绝对变化相对于NWL - Y更高（P < 0.01），但与NWL - O相比则不然（P = 0.06）。NWO - O的空腹IL - 6相对于NWL - Y更高（P < 0.05）。与NWL - Y相比，NWL - O和NWO - O的空腹和4小时sCD14同样更高（P < 0.01）。
与年轻和年龄相仿的NWL个体相比，NWO - O的餐后甘油三酯反应更为夸张，这可能反映了肝脏极低密度脂蛋白的过量产生或甘油三酯清除受损。未来的研究应继续探讨餐后血脂异常在NWO - O所报道的CVD风险中的作用。
