The accumulation of fat, especially in visceral sites, is a significant risk factor for several
chronic diseases with altered cardiometabolic homeostasis. We studied how intensive long-term
weight loss and subsequent weight regain affect physiological changes, by longitudinally interrogating the lipid metabolism and white blood cell transcriptomic markers in healthy, normal-weight individuals. The current study examined 42 healthy, young (age: 27.5 ± 4.0 years), normal-
weight (body mass index, BMI: 23.4 ± 1.7 kg/m2) female athletes, of which 25 belong to the
weight loss and regain group (diet group), and 17 to the control group. Participants were evaluated, and fasting blood samples were drawn at three time points: at baseline (PRE); at the end of the
weight loss period (MID: 21.1 ± 3.1 weeks after PRE); and at the end of the weight regain period (POST: 18.4 ± 2.9 weeks after MID). Following the
weight loss period, the diet group experienced a ~73% reduction (~0.69 kg) in visceral fat mass (false discovery rate, FDR < 2.0 × 10-16), accompanied by anti-atherogenic effects on transcriptomic markers, decreased low-grade
inflammation (e.g., as α1-
acid glycoprotein (FDR = 3.08 × 10-13) and
hs-CRP (FDR = 2.44 × 10-3)), and an increase in functionally important anti-atherogenic
high-density lipoprotein -associated metabolites (FDR < 0.05). This occurred even though these values were already at favorable levels in these participants, who follow a fitness-lifestyle compared to age- and BMI-matched females from the general population (n = 58). Following the weight regain period, most of the observed beneficial changes in visceral fat mass, and metabolomic and transcriptomic profiles dissipated. Overall, the beneficial anti-atherogenic effects of
weight loss can be observed even in previously healthy, normal-weight individuals.