The effect of high-fat diet and chronic stress on lipid metabolism

Fatemeh Rostamkhani,1,*

1. Department of Biology, Yadegar‑e‑Imam Khomeini (RAH) Shahre Rey Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

Abstract


Introduction

Experimental studies have suggested that high dietary fat intake is associated with defects in lipid metabolism. the current study investigated the combined effect of high-fat (intra-abdominal cow fat) diet and chronic foot-shock stress on lipid metabolism.

Methods

Male wistar rats were divided into high-fat and normal diet groups, and each group was further segregated into stress and non-stress subgroups. foot shock stress was induced after 30 days of a high-fat diet, 1h/day for 7 days. plasma levels of triglyceride, cholesterol, free fatty acid, and corticosterone were measured. moreover, homa-ir index was evaluated.

Results

Stress increased plasma corticosterone concentration in both diet groups. however, the plasma corticosterone concentration in high-fat diet group was lower than normal diet one either in the presence or absence of stress. in high-fat diet stressed rats plasma free fatty acid levels increased, whereas plasma triglyceride and cholesterol remained unchanged in the presence or absence of stress. the homa-ir index did not increase significantly.

Conclusion

In summary, the present study showed that despite high fat diet increased plasma free fatty acid concentration in the presence or absence of stress, the homa-ir index, as a marker of insulin resistance, did not changed markedly. it can be concluded that, despite the effects of high intra-abdominal cow fat diet on lipid metabolism, insulin resistance was not elicited.

Keywords

Stress, high-fat diet, corticosterone, free fatty acid, homa-ir index