High cerebral insulin sensitivity is associated with loss of body fat during lifestyle intervention.

Aims/hypothesis: Loss of weight and body fat are major targets in lifestyle interventions to prevent diabetes. In the brain, insulin modulates eating behaviour and weight control, resulting in a negative energy balance. This study aimed to test whether cerebral insulin sensitivity facilitates reduction of body weight and body fat by lifestyle intervention in humans. Methods: The study was performed as an additional arm of the TUebingen Lifestyle Intervention Program (TULIP). In 28 non-diabetic individuals (14 female/14 male; mean ± SE age 42 ± 2 years; mean ± SE BMI 29.9 ± 0.8 kg/m), we measured cerebrocortical insulin sensitivity by using magnetoencephalography before lifestyle intervention. Total and visceral fat were measured by using MRI at baseline and after 9 months and 2 years of lifestyle intervention. Results: Insulin-stimulated cerebrocortical theta activity at baseline correlated with a reduction in total adipose tissue ( r = −0.59, p = 0.014) and visceral adipose tissue ( r = −0.76, p = 0.001) after 9 months of lifestyle intervention, accompanied by a statistical trend for reduction in body weight change ( r = −0.37, p = 0.069). Similar results were obtained after 2 years. Conclusions/interpretation: Our results suggest that high insulin sensitivity of the human brain facilitates loss of body weight and body fat during lifestyle intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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