Faecal calprotectin levels before and after weight loss in obese and overweight subjects

• Published in: International Journal of Obesity Vol. 37; no. 2; pp. 317 - 319
• Main Authors: Kant, P, Fazakerley, R, Hull, M A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 01.02.2013; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: 692/420/256; 692/53; 692/699/2743/393; 692/700/478; Adult; Analysis of Variance; Biological and medical sciences; Biological markers; Biomarkers; Biomarkers, Tumor - metabolism; Body Mass Index; Care and treatment; Cohort analysis; Colorectal cancer; Colorectal Neoplasms - metabolism; Colorectal Neoplasms - prevention & control; Diet; Enterocolitis - etiology; Enterocolitis - metabolism; Epidemiology; Exercise; Feces - chemistry; Female; Gastroenterology; Gastrointestinal surgery; Gene expression; Genetic aspects; Health Promotion and Disease Prevention; Humans; Internal Medicine; Leukocyte L1 Antigen Complex - chemistry; Leukocyte L1 Antigen Complex - metabolism; Male; Medical sciences; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Metabolic Diseases; Middle Aged; Obesity; Obesity - complications; Obesity - metabolism; Overweight; Physiological aspects; Precancerous Conditions - metabolism; Precancerous Conditions - prevention & control; Prognosis; Prospective Studies; Public Health; short-communication; Weight control; Weight Loss; Weight Reduction Programs; United Kingdom; United Kingdom > UK; weight loss; excess body weight; inflammation; calprotectin; Human; Obesity; Nutrition; Body weight; Nutrition disorder; Weight loss; Metabolic diseases; Corporal biometry; Inflammation; Overweight; Calprotectin; Feces; Nutritional status
• ISSN: 0307-0565; 1476-5497; 1476-5497
• DOI: 10.1038/ijo.2012.38

Faecal calprotectin (FCP) is a non-invasive biomarker of intestinal inflammation, levels of which are reported to be elevated in individuals with increased body mass index (BMI). We investigated whether weight loss (WL), induced by dietary and behavioural change in a community weight loss programme (Slimming World), was associated with a reduction in FCP in a longitudinal cohort study. We obtained paired stool samples at the start and 11–15 weeks into the weight loss programme in 40 individuals with a BMI >25 kg m −2 and no known colorectal or systemic inflammatory condition. Eight of 40 (20%) ‘healthy’ participants had a baseline FCP greater than 50 μg g −1 (the accepted adult cutoff value for FCP), termed FCP high . Although the degree (%) of WL was similar (5.1 FCP high versus 6.1 FCP normal ; P =0.63), only FCP high individuals, but not FCP normal participants, demonstrated a reduction in FCP level (median 0.3-fold versus 1.0-fold (that is, no change) during the study period ( P =0.065). A large prospective cohort study of FCP high and FCP normal obese individuals is now required to determine the relationship between local mucosal inflammation and the systemic inflammatory state associated with obesity, as well as understand the relationship between FCP levels, WL and future risk of colorectal neoplasia.