Effects of an 8-week weight-loss program on cardiovascular disease risk factors and regional body composition

Abstract

Objective: To determine the influence of weight loss on multiple cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors. Design: Overweight women (n ¼ 12; mean 44.2% fat) and men (n ¼ 10; mean 30.7% fat) participated in an 8 week weight-loss program that included dietary, exercise, multi-vitamin=mineral supplementation, and behavior modification components. Measurement of total and regional body composition assessed using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA), circumferences and blood sampling for total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triacylglycerols, homocysteine, insulin and leptin were performed before and after the weight loss intervention. Results: Subjects increased their physical activity and decreased their energy intake, resulting in a mean decrease in body mass of 7 4.3 AE 3.4 kg in women and 7 4.7 AE 3.1 kg in men. Fat accounted for 88 and 58% of the decrease in body mass in men and women, respectively. Proportionally, men lost significantly more fat mass from the trunk region compared to women. Serum total and LDL cholesterol were significantly decreased in men ( 7 11 and 7 14%, respectively) but not women ( 7 3 and 7 3%, respectively) and there were no changes in HDL cholesterol and triacylglycerols. Serum leptin was significantly decreased ( 7 36%) and highly correlated to fat mass (r ¼ 0.839). There were no changes in serum insulin and plasma homocysteine. Conclusions: These data indicate that short-term weight loss resulting from reducing percentage energy from fat, increasing physical activity and vitamin=mineral supplements including folic acid has a favorable effect on regional body composition and total and LDL cholesterol with minimal effects on HDL cholesterol, triacylglycerols, homocysteine and insulin and the effects are greater in men compared to women. Supplementation with folic acid or emphasis on folic acid-rich foods may be an important component of a weight loss program to prevent increases in homocysteine.

Psychological wellbeing and biochemical modulation in response to weight loss in obese type 2 diabetes patients

“…conducted in a parallel design, a study on 106 obese men and women with type 2 diabetes who were randomized to a prescriptive 16-week caloric restricted diet (6,000-7,000 kJ/day), with supervised resistance exercise training (n = 65) or without supervised resistance exercise training (n = 41) (three times per week) and found that structured caloric restricted diet with or without resistance exercise training improves body weight, glycated hemoglobin, diabetes-specific emotional distress and quality of life questionnaire in overweight and obese patients with type 2 diabetes Our results revealed that BMI and serum leptin were significantly decreased upon weight loss among obese type 2 diabetes patients. Our findings were consistent with Sartorio and colleagues who proved that the circulating levels of leptin have been shown to decrease in response to decreases in energy availability 42 , also Volek and colleagues suggested that significant decreases in leptin occur as part of an 8-week weight loss program 43 , which similarly occurred in the present study.…”

Effect of weight loss on inflammatory and endothelial markers and FMD using two low-fat diets

“…Similarly, Volek et al 43 did not observe changes in homocysteine after 4 kg of weight loss on a reduced fat diet, with vitamin/mineral supplements including folic acid. Similarly, Fleming 44 in a study of 100 men and women, found no significant effect of weight loss in homocysteine.…”

Effects of multivitamin and mineral supplementation on adiposity, energy expenditure and lipid profiles in obese Chinese women

“…In addition, weight loss could reduce insulin hypersecretion and increase insulin sensitivity and b-cell function, 34 and decrease blood pressure, and thus, improve hyperlipedemia 35 and hypertension.…”