Serum visfatin concentrations are related to dietary intake in obese patients

Changes in dietary intake such as underfeeding, overfeeding, as well as exercise have important effects on adipose tissue metabolism. We conducted a cross-sectional study of associations between nutrient intake and serum visfatin concentrations in a group of obese patients.

A population of 231 obese subjects was analyzed in a cross-sectional study. Biochemical analysis (basal glucose, C-reactive protein, insulin, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, blood and insulin resistance), anthropometric evaluation (weight and bioimpedance) and assessment of dietary intake were carried out.

The mean age was 41.8 ± 14.2 years, and the mean body mass index was 35.4 ± 5.3 among the 63 male (27.3%) and 168 female (72.7%) patients. Patients were divided into 3 groups by visfatin tertile values: group 1, <16.06 ng/ml; group 2, between 16.06 and 60.55 ng/ml; group 3, >60.55 ng/ml. Patients in group 3 had lower intakes of energy, carbohydrates, total fat, monounsaturated fat, polyunsaturated fat, saturated fat, total cholesterol and proteins than group 1. Patients in group 2 had lower intakes of energy, total fat, monounsaturated fat, saturated fat, total cholesterol and proteins than group 1. In the adjusted multivariate analysis, only monounsaturated fat intake remained as an independent predictor of visfatin levels. Visfatin concentration decreased by -3.69 ng/ml (95% CI -0.43 to -7.01) for each gram of monounsaturated fat intake.

Monounsaturated fatty acid consumption was found to be modestly inversely associated with visfatin levels in a group of obese patients.