Evidence for an abnormal postprandial response to a high-fat meal in women predisposed to obesity

The present study was undertaken to investigate fat metabolism after a high-fat meal [50 energy percent (E%) fat] in formerly obese subjects with a familial history of obesity. Twelve normal-weight postobese women (PO) and 12 closely matched controls were given the test meal after a 2-day carbohydrate-rich weight-maintenance diet (58 E% carbohydrate). Whereas the thermic effect of the meals was similar in the two groups, postprandial fat oxidation was 2.5 times more suppressed in PO compared with controls (P < 0.05). A similarly enhanced suppression of arterialized plasma concentrations of nonesterified fatty acids was seen postprandially in PO (P < 0.05), possibly due to a more marked suppression of epinephrine and a reduced glucagon response in PO than in controls. Moreover, the postprandial plasma triglyceride response was attenuated and only amounted to 43% of that in controls (P < 0.05). This may be explained by a more pronounced increase in gastric inhibitory polypeptide in PO, giving rise to a higher adipose tissue lipoprotein lipase activity. No other differences were found in plasma substrates and hormones or in subjective appetite scores. In conclusion, a metabolic and hormonal pattern favoring lipid storage was observed in postobese subjects after a high-fat meal.