Interrelationships between body mass and lipid and lipoprotein triglycerides and cholesterol in obese women

In 72 obese women body mass index positively correlated with age and both showed multiple correlations with serum lipids and lipoprotein lipids. After adjustment for age (partial correlation procedure), body mass index resulted to be positively correlated with serum triglycerides, VLDL lipids, HDL-triglycerides and negatively correlated with HDL-cholesterol. The decrease in HDL-cholesterol concentration along with the increase in body weight was due to the reduction of cholesterol in HDL2 subfraction, while HDL3-cholesterol did not show any significant correlation with body mass index. The negative correlation between HDL2-cholesterol and body mass index was independent of other lipoprotein variables and in particular of VLDL lipid levels that were, as expected, inversely related to HDL2-cholesterol. HDL2-cholesterol is believed to be a strong protective factor against atherosclerosis, while doubts exist on the meaning of VLDL lipids as risk factors. Thus, the decrease in HDL2-cholesterol concentration, rather than the increase in VLDL lipids, might give a rational basis to the high incidence rate of vascular disease in obese subjects.