Obesity, fat metabolism and cardiovascular disease.

Lipoproteins of the Sf 12-100 class, representing only about 10 to 15 per cant of the serum cholesterol, are strongly associated with atherosclerosis. The major independent contributions to this association are from the Sf 12-20 lipoproteins and the Sf 35-100 lipoproteins. The Sf 20-35 lipoproteins are primarily associated by virtue of their intercorrelation with the other classes. Obesity is moderately associated with the Sf 35-100 and definitely, but to a lesser degree, with the Sf 12-20. The association of obesity with total serum cholesterol is so low as to obscure the stronger association with the Sf 35-100 lipoproteins. The relationship of the Sf 12-100 lipoproteins with obesity may be adequate to explain the major share, if not all, of the association of obesity with atherosclerosis. The control of obesity should therefore be a prime consideration in the management of atherosclerosis and its complications.