Weight Loss Is More Important Than the Diet Type in Improving Adiponectin Levels Among Overweight/Obese Adults

Objective: The study objective was to compare the effect of a standard calorie- and fat-restricted diet (STD-D) and a calorie- and fat-restricted lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet (LOV-D) on total and high-molecular-weight (HMW) adiponectin levels after 6 months of behavioral intervention. Design: This study is an ancillary study to a randomized clinical trial. Subjects: Subjects included 143 overweight/obese adults (STD-D = 79; LOV-D = 64). Intervention: Both groups received the same standard behavioral intervention; the only difference was that LOV-D participants were instructed to eliminate meat, poultry, and fish from their diet. Measures: Weight, dietary intake with the 3-day food diary, and total and HMW adiponectin levels were measured. Results: Both groups significantly increased total (STD-D +7.2 +/- 17.8%; LOV-D +9.4 +/- 21.8%) and HMW adiponectin levels (STD-D +18.5 +/- 32.9%; LOV-D +15.8 +/- 34.5%; ps < 0.05) with no significant differences between the groups. We found significant associations between weight loss and increases in total (beta(SE) = -.071(.27); p = 0.003) and HMW adiponectin (beta(SE) = -1.37(.47); p = 0.001) levels independent of the diet type. Weight loss at the higher quartile was associated with improvements of adiponectin levels (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Weight loss was associated with increased total and HMW adiponectin levels regardless of the diet type. Enhancing weight loss may be a means to improve adiponectin levels.