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Influence of weight loss on insulin sensitivity in the mature horse (246.4)
Author(s) -
Zambito Jennie,
Spooner Holly,
Hoffman Rhonda,
Barnes Kimberly
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.28.1_supplement.246.4
Subject(s) - weight loss , medicine , endocrinology , insulin , horse , glucose homeostasis , insulin sensitivity , insulin resistance , homeostasis , glucose tolerance test , obesity , biology , paleontology
The obese horse has impairments in insulin sensitivity and glucose homeostasis similar to other species. Weight loss as a result of caloric restriction is thought to be beneficial in counteracting obesity related metabolic dysfunction. We hypothesized that 8 light‐type horses would display improvements in morphometric measurements, circulating metabolic markers, and minimal model estimates of glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity during weight loss from an obese (7 to 8) to moderate (5) body condition score (BCS). Horses displayed significant decreases in all morphometric measurements (p蠄0.04) except for abdominal circumference (p=0.08). A decrease in rump fat thickness from 11.5 ±1.2 to 6.1 ± 1.1 mm reflected decreasing body fat mass (p<0.0001). Weight loss had no effect on circulating concentrations of glucose or insulin measured every other week. Insulin sensitivity increased from 1.078 ± 0.270 to 4.319 ± 1.592 x10 ‐4 L*mU ‐1 *min ‐1 with both reduction in BCS and weight loss (p蠄0.04), yet glucose effectiveness and acute insulin response to glucose were not affected. The disposition index as an assessment of β‐cell function tended to increase with percent weight loss (p=0.09) but not lower BCS. Lack of changes in circulating markers along with only small changes in minimal model parameters suggest that while horses were obese, metabolic function was conserved.