THE ACUTE EFFECT OF A NOONTIME MEAL ON THE SERUM LEVELS OF CORTISOL AND DHEA IN LEAN AND OBESE WOMEN

Lean [n=11, body mass index (BMI) <22.5] and obese (n=13, BMI>31.5) wo men consumed a noontime meal while serum levels of cortisol and dehydr oepiandrosterone (DHEA) were measured. Before the meal the obese had l ower levels of serum cortisol compared to the leans. Within 20-40 min of consuming the meal the levels of cortisol rose in both groups; thos e of the obese rose by a greater increment and in the first postprandi al hour there were no differences between lean and obese. After the me al-induced peak, the: obese again had lower cortisol values. DHEA leve ls rose with the meal in both groups but the difference over baseline was only significant for the obese. These results show that the lean a nd obese respond differently to the physiologic stimulus of a meal. Th ese results are consistent with the hypothesis that obesity is influen ced by differences in adrenal function that are demonstrable during st imulation with a meal. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.