Effects of different dairy products on postprandial lipemia

To evaluate the effects on postprandial lipemia (PPL), of three fat rich meals, with similar composition but different physical structure (liquid, semisolid and solid).

Eight type 2 diabetic patients of both genders (6M/2F), age 51+/-9 yrs (M+/-SD), BMI 29+/-3 kg/m2, with fasting plasma glucose levels 145+/-24 mg/dL, cholesterol 200+/-38 mg/dL and triglyceride 110+/-45 mg/dL. Participants consumed in the morning, after a 12-hour fast and at 1-week intervals, three test meals with similar volume and composition [protein 36 g, lipid 30 g, carbohydrate 115 g, energy 3556 kJ (850 Kcal)] but with the main source of fat represented by foods with different physical structure (milk, mozzarella-cheese, butter). Each patient underwent gastric emptying measurements by echography; plasma FFA, triglycerides, glucose and insulin were evaluated at baseline and every hour for six hours after each meal. Fasting plasma glucose, cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations were similar at the baseline of the three test meals. Average increases in postprandial plasma triglyceride levels after butter (88+/-8 mg/dL) and mozzarella-cheese (104+/-56 mg/dL) were not different than after milk (98+/-53 mg/dL). The plasma triglyceride peak was also similar after the three test meals but peak time after butter (315+/-42 min; p<0.01) and mozzarella-cheese (277+/-31 min; p<0.02) was significantly delayed compared to milk (225+/-28 min). Gastric emptying rate was similar after butter and milk (14+/-2, 13+/-6 mL/h) and significantly faster after mozzarella-cheese (18+/-5 mL/h; p<0.03).

While the physical structure of fat-rich foods has no major effect on postprandial plasma triglyceride concentrations, it is able to influence the timing of triglyceride peak; gastric emptying time does not play a major role in modulating the postprandial response of triglycerides and glucose.