Effects of baked products enriched with n-3 fatty acids, folates, ß-glucans, and tocopherol in patients with mild mixed hyperlipidemia.

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether a diet containing foods enriched with ß-glucans (3.6 g/d), folic acid (1600 µg/d), long-chain (800 mg/d) and short-chain (400 mg/d) n-3 fatty acids, and tocopherols (120 mg/d) is able to modulate positively the cardiovascular risk profile in people at slightly increased cardiovascular risk. METHODS: Sixteen subjects with mild plasma lipid abnormalities were studied according to a randomized crossover design. After a 2-week run-in period, they followed a diet containing baked products enriched with active nutrients (active diet) or a diet containing the same products but without active nutrients (control diet) for 1 month and then crossed over to the other diet. At the end of each period, a test meal of the same composition as the corresponding diet was administered, and plasma samples were obtained before and for 6 hours after the meal. Hunger and satiety were evaluated by the visual analog scale at fasting and after the meal. RESULTS: Fasting plasma triglycerides were significantly lower after the active versus the control diet (1.56 ± 0.18 vs 1.74 ± 0.16 mmol/l, p < 0.05), as was the postprandial level of chylomicron triglycerides and the insulin peak (p < 0.05). The active diet also reduced fasting homocysteine (8 ± 0.6 vs 10 ± 0.8 µmol/l, p < 0.05) and the feeling of hunger at the fifth and sixth hour (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Baked functional products enriched with n-3 fatty acids, folates, ß-glucans, and tocopherols within the context of a balanced diet lower fasting and postprandial plasma triglycerides, fasting homocysteinemia, and the postprandial insulin peak. They induce a greater feeling of satiety with possible beneficial implications on energy intake.

Abdominal adiposity is associated with elevated C-reactive protein independent of BMI in healthy nonobese people.

OBJECTIVE: There is debate over the most appropriate adiposity markers of obesity-associated health risks. We evaluated the relationship between fat distribution and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), independent of total adiposity. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We studied 350 people with abdominal adiposity (waist-to-hip ratio [WHR] > or =0.9 in male and > or =0.85 in female subjects) and 199 control subjects (WHR <0.9 in male and <0.85 in female subjects) matched for BMI and age. We measured hs-CRP and major cardiovascular risk factors. RESULTS: Participants with abdominal adiposity had BMI similar to that in control subjects (24.8 +/- 2.5 vs. 24.7 +/- 2.2 kg/m(2), respectively), but significantly higher waist circumference (96.4 +/- 6.0 vs. 83.3 +/- 6.7 cm; P < 0.01) and WHR (1.07 +/- 0.08 vs. 0.85 +/- 0.05; P < 0.001). Compared with the control subjects, participants with abdominal adiposity had an adverse cardiovascular risk factor profile, significantly higher hs-CRP (1.96 +/- 2.60 vs. 1.53 +/- 1.74 mg/dl; P < 0.01), and a twofold prevalence of elevated CRP values (>3 mg/dl). CONCLUSIONS: In nonobese people, moderate abdominal adiposity is associated with markers of subclinical inflammation independent of BMI.