Differential Changes in Plasma High-Density Lipoprotein-Cholesterol Levels in Obese Men and Women During Weight Reduction

Abstract

• Levels of high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-cholesterol) and other lipoproteins of 73 obese men and women were measured before and after a 16-week weight reduction program. There were significant differences between men and women. In men, a 10.7-kg weight loss was associated with a 5% increase in the HDL-cholesterol level, a 15.8% decrease in the low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-cholesterol) level, and a 30.1% increase in the HDL-LDL ratio. Women, in contrast, showed an 8.9-kg weight loss, a 3.3% decrease in the HDL-cholesterol level, a 4.7% decrease in the LDL-cholesterol level, and no significant change in the HDL-LDL ratio. These differences suggest that weight reduction may be an important means of improving plasma lipoprotein patterns in men but may be of more limited value in women. (Arch Intern Med1981;141:1142-1146)