Background/Objective
Body mass index (BMI) is central when evaluating treatment effect after gastric bypass. The metabolic impact of BMI-independent differences in body fat percentage (BF%) after gastric bypass is not fully understood. We compared metabolic and adipose tissue characteristics in women with high versus low BF% independent of BMI after obesity remission following gastric bypass.
Subjects/Methods
A cohort of 215 women was included at baseline. A total of 166 women were re-examined 2 years after gastric bypass, whereof 130 had obesity remission (BMI < 30 kg/m
2
). Anthropometric parameters, blood pressure, and lipids were measured. Total and regional body fat mass was determined by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Insulin sensitivity was assessed by homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp (
M
value). Adipocyte size and number were determined.
Results
Of the 130 women with obesity remission, 64 had BF% ≥ 35 and 65 < 35. Independent of BMI, high BF% were associated with higher HOMA-IR (
P
= 0.021), lower
M
value (
P
= 0.0046), higher triglycerides (
P
= 0.013), higher visceral/total and android/gynoid fat mass ratios (
P
= 0.0032 and 0.0003 respectively), and larger subcutaneous fat cell volume (
P
< 0.0001) 2 years after gastric bypass. No differences in anthropometric measures, glucose, blood pressure, or fat cell number were observed.
Conclusions
Independent of BMI, patients with higher BF% displayed lower insulin sensitivity, higher triglyceride levels, central fat distribution, and larger subcutaneous adipocytes 2 years after gastric bypass. Thus, determination of BF% provides additional information of metabolic characteristics at follow-up of non-obese patients after gastric bypass.