Wheat Bran Dietary Fiber Improves Lipid Metabolism In Overweight/obese Population

The dysfunction of lipid metabolism in obese people leads to the development of metabolic syndrome and comorbidity, which is one of the precursor risk factors for chronic metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes mellitus and metabolic fatty liver disease. Intake of safe and effective dietary fiber is of great significance to improve the physiological and pathological status of human body caused by lipid metabolism disorders. PURPOSE: The 4-week experimental intervention of wheat bran dietary fiber (WBDF) was conducted to investigate the improvement effect of WBDF on lipid metabolism in overweight/obese population. METHODS: 23 overweight/obese subjects were recruited, including 11 females and 12 males, 20.6 ± 1.2 yrs, BMI ≥25 kg/m2, and body fat % >25% for males and > 30% for females. All subjects took WBDF, 15 g each time, 3 times a day. At the same time, ensure that the subjects take in adequate nutrition, unified standard diet. At 0 and 4 weeks, body weight (BW), BMI, visceral adipose tissue (VAT) mass, and body fat mass were measured with a dual-energy X-ray body composition analyzer; the levels of TG, TC, LDL, and HDL in serum lipids were determined by the automatic biochemical analyzer. RESULTS: (1) Compared with 0 week, at 4 weeks the BW of the subjects was significantly decreased (82.99 ± 16.49 vs. 87.51 ± 16.44 kg, P < 0.01). The BMI was significantly decreased (28.81 ± 3.91 vs. 29.81 ± 3.83 kg/m2, P < 0.01). The VAT was significantly decreased (772.42 ± 411.04 vs. 935.99 ± 473.56 g, P < 0.01). The whole-body fat mass was also significantly decreased (28686.22 ± 7065.85 vs. 30831.96 ± 7140.30 g, P < 0.01). (2) Compared with 0 week, at 4 weeks the TG content of subjects increased slightly, but there was no significant difference (1.30 ± 0.50 vs. 1.26 ± 0.43 mmol/L, P = 0.69). The contents of TC, HDL, and LDL were significantly decreased (4.59 ± 0.87 vs. 4.91 ± 0.66 mmol/L, P < 0.05), (1.05 ± 0.19 vs. 1.21 ± 0.25 mmol/L, P < 0.01), and (2.78 ± 0.78 vs. 3.13 ± 0.68 mmol/L, P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: WBDF can effectively reduce BW, BMI, VAT mass, body fat mass, and lipid accumulation in overweight/obese population. Meanwhile, it regulates serum lipid by reducing TC and LDL contents. Supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province, China (ZR2020MC018), Shandong Province graduate education quality curriculum construction project (2021).