Postprandial leptin and adiponectin in response to sugar and fat in obese and normal weight individuals

Adipokines produced by white adipose tissue are central in the development of lifestyle diseases. Individuals in industrialized countries spend a substantial part of life in the non-fasting, postprandial state, which is associated with increased oxidation and inflammation. The aim was to study postprandial adiponectin and leptin levels after an oral fat tolerance test (OFTT) and an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) in obese (OB) and healthy, normal weight individuals (NW).

Fifty adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30) and 17 healthy, NW were included. Postprandial triglyceride (TG), adiponectin, and leptin levels were measured every second hour during an 8 h OFTT, and every half hour during a 2 h OGTT.

Compared with the basal level, postprandial levels of adiponectin following OFTT showed a slight initial peak, followed by a significant decrease at 8 h, in the NW. In the OB these changes were abolished. Postprandial levels of leptin decreased significantly from basal levels in the OFTT, in the NW, whereas in the OB, leptin was unchanged except for a slight increase from 2 to 8 h. During the OGTT both adiponectin and leptin levels remained unchanged in the NW, but decreased significantly in the OB. In addition, the OB had delayed TG clearance at 6 h.

A fatty meal gives postprandial changes in the secretion of adiponectin and leptin in NW, but not in OB. Our observations indicate that a potential postprandial regulatory role of adiponectin and leptin is impaired in OB, and of importance in a more comprehensive understanding of the delayed postprandial TG clearance in obese individuals.