Abstract
Background: Obesity can lead to ectopic pancreatic fat accumulation and increase the risk for type 2 diabetes. Smaller intervention trials have shown a decrease in pancreatic fat content (PFC) with weight loss, and we intended to investigate the effects of weight loss on PFC in a larger trial. Methods: Data from the HELENA-Trial, a randomized controlled trial (RCT) among 137 non-diabetic obese adults were used. The study cohort was classified into 4 quartiles based on weight change between baseline and 12 weeks post-intervention. Changes in PFC (baseline, 12 weeks and 50 weeks post-intervention) upon weight loss were analyzed by linear mixed models. Spearman’s coefficients were used to obtain correlations between anthropometric parameters, blood biochemical markers, and PFC. Results: At baseline, PFC only showed a significant correlation with visceral adipose tissue (VAT) (r = 0.41). Relative changes in PFC were significantly (p = 0.01) greater in Q4 (−30.8 ± 5.7%) than in Q1 (1.3 ± 6.7%). These differences remained similar after one year. However, when adjusting the statistical analyses for changes in VAT, the differences in PFC between Q1 and Q4 were no longer statistically significant. Conclusion: Weight loss is associated with a decrease in PFC. However, the reduction of PFC is not independent from reductions in VAT. Unlike VAT, PFC was not associated with metabolic biomarkers.
Highlights
Obesity, defined as a BMI above 30 kg/m2, is a major risk factor for various chronic diseases, such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, musculoskeletal disorders, and several types of cancer [1].The increasing incidence of obesity worldwide is considered a global pandemic and public health issue [2]
We further evaluated whether changes in pancreatic fat content (PFC) upon weight loss were independent from changes in visceral adipose tissue volume (VAT) and whether PFC was related to a distinct profile of the circulating biomarkers of glucose metabolism, lipid metabolism, adipokine signaling, and inflammation
The present study focused on changes in PFC upon moderate weight loss in overweight and obese non-diabetic participants over
Summary
Obesity, defined as a BMI above 30 kg/m2 , is a major risk factor for various chronic diseases, such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, musculoskeletal disorders, and several types of cancer [1].The increasing incidence of obesity worldwide is considered a global pandemic and public health issue [2]. Obesity, defined as a BMI above 30 kg/m2 , is a major risk factor for various chronic diseases, such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, musculoskeletal disorders, and several types of cancer [1]. Obesity is related to ectopic fat accumulation in organs, such as the heart, muscle, liver, and pancreas [3], which is a risk factor for metabolic syndrome. There are some studies indicating that pancreatic steatosis in obesity may increase the risk of pancreatitis, metabolic syndrome, and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) [8,9]. Obesity can lead to ectopic pancreatic fat accumulation and increase the risk for type 2 diabetes. Smaller intervention trials have shown a decrease in pancreatic fat content (PFC). With weight loss, and we intended to investigate the effects of weight loss on PFC in a larger trial
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