Effect of short-term weight loss on the metabolic syndrome and conduit vascular endothelial function in overweight adults

Impaired vascular endothelial function may be an important mechanism linking obesity to increased cardiovascular risk. We investigated whether short-term weight loss improves conduit artery endothelial dysfunction in overweight adults. Forty-three otherwise healthy overweight patients with a body mass index ≥27 kg/m 2 completed an open-label 3-month trial consisting of a calorie-restricted diet and 120 mg of orlistat taken 3 times daily with meals. Endothelial function and parameters of the metabolic syndrome were measured before and after intervention. Subjects lost 6.6 ± 3.4% of their body weight. Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein concentration, fasting insulin, and leptin decreased significantly (all p