Transient increase in HDL-cholesterol during weight gain by hyperalimentation in healthy subjects

Abstract

Determination of lipid levels is fundamental in cardiovascular risk assessment. We studied the short-term effects of fast food-based hyperalimentation on lipid levels in healthy subjects. Twelve healthy men and six healthy women with a mean age of 26 6.6 years and an aged-matched control group were recruited for this prospective interventional study. Subjects in the intervention group aimed for a body weight increase of 5-15% by doubling the baseline caloric intake by eating at least two fast food-based meals a day in combination with adoption of a sedentary lifestyle for 4 weeks. This protocol induced a weight gain from 67.6 9.1kg to 74.0 11kg (P 0.001). A numerical increase in the levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol occurred in all subjects during the study and this was apparent already at the first week in 16/18 subjects (mean increase at week 1: 22.0 16%, range from-7 to 50%), whereas the highest level of HDL during the study as compared with baseline values varied from 6% to 58% (mean 31.6 15%). The intake of saturated fat in the early phase of the trial related positively with the HDL-cholesterol-increase in the second week (r = 0.53, P = 0.028). Although the levels of insulin doubled at week 2, the increase in low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol was only 12 17%, and there was no statistically significant changes in fasting serum triglycerides. We conclude that hyperalimentation can induce a fast but transient increase in HDL-cholesterol that is of clinical interest when estimating cardiovascular risk based on serum lipid levels. © 2010 The Obesity Society.