Determinant of postprandial triglyceride levels in healthy young adults

Background: Fasting lipid profile does not necessarily illustrate the exact lipid dynamic in 24 h as human spends most of their time in postprandial state. Postprandial triglyceride (TG)has been reported to have advantages compared to fasting TG in terms of practicality and ability to predict cardiovascular events. This study aims to assess the determinant of postprandial TG in healthy young adults. Methods: This is a quasy-experimental study that involved 200 healthy young adults. This study compared fasting with postprandial TG and analyzed the relationship between postprandial TG with various demographic and metabolic parameters after ingestion of standardized high fat liquid meal. Result: There was an upward trend from fasting TG to 2 h postprandial TG and 4 h postprandial TG. There was strong correlation between fasting TG and 2 h postprandial TG with 4 h postprandial TG (r = 0.731; p < 0.0001 dan r = 0.669; p < 0.0001, respectively). Whereas body mass index (BMI)and age showed weak correlation with 4 h postprandial TG (r = 0.141; p < 0.0001 dan r = 0.0747; p < 0.0001), fasting TG was the strongest predictor of 4 h postprandial TG (r = 0.669, B = 1.722 (95% CI 1.552 to 1.892), p < 0.0001). Conclusion: Fasting TG was the strongest determinant of 4 h postprandial TG in healthy young adults. We also observed strong correlation between 4 h postprandial TG and fasting TG. Hence, 4 h postprandial TG might potentially replaced fasting TG when measurement of fasting TG is not feasible.