Effect of a 2‐week intense life‐style intervention followed by 6‐month carotenoid supplementation on fat depots, aditonectin and palmitoleate: a 6‐month double blind placebo‐controlled pilot study in obese children (645.6)

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Abdominal subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissues (SAT and VAT) contribute to the established association between obesity and metabolic risk, likely through signaling molecules that regulate insulin resistance (IR). High molecular weight adiponectin (HMW‐ADI) and C16:1n7‐palmitoleate (PAL) play crucial roles in this respect. Carotenoids have emerged as possible adiposity ameliorating agents, but their role in the regulation of these signals and their impact on fat depots remain less clear. Method and Design: Of the 21 obese children recruited, 17 (Age = 10.5 ± 5 years) completed a randomized double blind placebo controlled study of a 2‐week intense lifestyle intervention program (LSIP) followed by 6 months of carotenoid supplementation (Jarrow Formulas CaroteneAll®). β‐carotene, HMW‐ADI, glucose, insulin and PAL were measured. HOMA‐IR was calculated and the percent change in VAT and SAT were determined by cross‐sectional multi‐slice MRI (1.5‐T; GE Medical Systems) and DEXA (QDR‐4500W; Hologic) at baseline and 6 mo.Results: β‐carotene was inversely related to BMI‐Z; VAT and SAT (p<0.05 for all). Supplementation resulted in 95 ± 66% increase in β‐carotene at 6 months as compared to 3 ± 19% decrease in the placebo group (p=0.001). HMW‐ADI increased by 43% ± 88% (p<0.03) with the supplement and decreased by 5.6 ± 37% (p = NS) in the placebo group. PAL was lowered by 16 ± 36% at 6 months (p = 0.03) in the supplement group. There were no significant changes in triglycerides or HOMA‐IR. There was a 4% decrease in mean SAT by MRI and an 8% decrease in mean estimated VAT by DEXA (p< 0.05 for all) in the supplement group.Conclusion: The study results showing an increase in HMW‐ADI and a decrease in PAL along with beneficial changes in fat depots in response to the 2‐week LSIP followed by carotenoid supplementation are novel in obese children. The mechanistic role of these divergent changes warrants further investigation.