Relationship between relative body weight and serum lipid levels.

A relationship between blood lipid levels and adiposity has been suggested by several workers. For example, Gofman and Jones (1952) observed a good positive correlation between obesity and levels of the Sf 35-100, and, to a less extent, the S' 12-20 plasma-lipoprotein fractions; they found a low-grade correlation between obesity and cholesterol levels. Lewis et al. (1957) also found the positive correlation between blood lipid levels and relative weight to be highest for the Sf 20-100 fraction, and lowest for cholesterol, though none of the correlations was impressive. They reported substantially higher levels of Sf 20100 and S 12-20 lipoproteins in overweight compared with normal subjects, but not of cholesterol. The Sf 20-100 (or S, 35-100) lipoprotein fraction is rich in triglyceride but not in cholesterol, which is found mainly in the Sf 0-12 fraction. It might therefore be expected that plasma triglyceride levels are correlated with obesity ; however, we are aware of only one report of triglyceride levels in relation to relative body weight (Albrink and Meigs, 1964). It has been shown that triglyceride levels, as well as cholesterol, are often elevated in subjects with ischaemic heart disease (Antonis and Bersohn, 1960; Carlson, 1960a, Schrade et al., 1960; Albrink et al., 1961; Hayes and Neill, 1964). Since obesity is thought by many to predispose to ischaemic heart disease, it may be asked whether it does so by an effect on triglyceride and other lipid levels. The present study concekns the relationship of levels of several plasma lipid components, including the triglycerides, and relative body weight. Serum total beta-lipoprotein: by the " immunocrit " technique Heiskell et al., 1961).