Modifications of Abdominal Fat and Hepatic Insulin Clearance during Severe Caloric Restriction

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Using computed tomography on 19 obese female subjects, we determined abdominal adipose tissue, both subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue, before and after 2 weeks of a very low caloric diet (VLCD). The following parameters were also determined before and after 15–20 days of VLCD: plasma glucose and insulin levels, oral glucose tolerance test, basal pancreatic insulin secretion estimated by fasting C peptide (Cp), and fasting insulin hepatic clearance calculated by Cp/insulin molar ratio. After VLCD the body weight and body mass index significantly declined (p < 0.01); whereas abdominal adipose tissue and visceral abdominal tissue (VAT) significantly decreased (p < 0.01), modifcations of subcutaneus abdominal tissue (SAT) were not significant. Fasting insulin levels and plasma glucose response to oral glucose load significantly decreased (p < 0.05). Insulin response remained unchanged. Cp immunoreactive insulin (IRI) significantly increased (p < 0.01). A significant positive correlation was found between ΔVAT and ΔCp/IRI before and after VLCD (p < 0.01). Our data seem to suggest that the weight loss induced by VLCD fundamentally involves a decrease in VAT. The reduction in visceral fat could be associated with an increase in hepatic insulin clearance.