Adipose lipid turnover and long-term changes in body weight.
Level 3 - non-randomized controlled study
Longitudinal cohort study tracking human participants for up to 16 years
PubMed 31501613 · doi:10.1038/s41591-019-0565-5
What was done
Researchers measured the turnover of fat cell lipids in adults followed longitudinally for up to 16 years. Turnover dynamics were evaluated by measuring the incorporation of atmospheric nuclear bomb test-derived carbon-14 (14C) into adipose tissue triglycerides to assess lipid removal and uptake rates during aging, weight gain, and weight loss.
What was found
The abstract reports no numerical values or statistical metrics. Directionally, the rate of lipid removal in adipose tissue decreased during aging, and failure to reciprocally adjust lipid uptake resulted in weight gain. Large reductions in body weight were driven by changes in lipid uptake rather than lipid removal. Additionally, individuals with lower baseline lipid removal rates were more likely to maintain stable body weight after weight loss.
Why it matters
This work demonstrates that adipose lipid turnover is dynamic over the human lifespan rather than fixed, linking age-related declines in lipid removal and changes in lipid uptake to obesity risk and the maintenance of weight loss.
Limits
The abstract does not state the sample size, demographic characteristics, or the specific methods for inducing weight loss. No quantitative results, effect sizes, variance estimates, or statistical significance levels are reported in the abstract.
Cited by
- context Fat cell turnover declines in older age (around 60 to 70 years old), leading to a net reduction in the total number of fat cells.