[The effect of intestinal resection and dietary fat quality on the nutritional utilization of fat]

The influence of the quality of dietary fat on digestive and metabolic utilization of fat, serum levels of cholesterol and triglycerides and the relative percentages of serum fatty acids was studied in rats in which 50% of the distal small intestine (DSI) was resected and in sham-operated controls. Nutritive parameters were measured 1 month after surgery. The fat components of the diets were: olive oil, butter and equal parts of medium chain triglycerides (MCT), olive oil and sunflower seed oil. There was no changes in digestive utilization of fat in shamoperated controls with either dietary sources of fat, olive oil or butter. The removal of 50% of the distal small intestine led to a decline in the digestive utilization of fat (ADC) in both test diets. When dietary fat was supplied as equal parts of MCT, olive oil and sunflower seed oil instead of 100% olive oil (diet C), digestive utilization of fat was enhanced in resected rats. When ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) was added to diet C, digestive utilization of fat remained high, reaching values as elevated as those in sham-operated controls. At the metabolic level, resection of half the DSI led to a significant decrease in serum triglycerides and cholesterol levels, independently of type of dietary fat tested. The type of diet, as well as intestinal resection, do not led to an essential fatty acid deficiency in serum lipids; it is only a reflect of the supplemented diet fat contents.