An acute intake of a walnut-enriched meal improves postprandial adiponectin response in healthy young adults

A deficit in adiponectin plays an important causal role in insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome. We hypothesized that as seen during the fasting state, the intake of a walnut-enriched meal increased postprandial adiponectin. Twenty-one healthy white men followed a 4-week baseline diet and then consumed 3 fat-loaded meals that included 1 g fat/kg body weight (65% fat) according to a randomized crossover design: olive oil–enriched meal (22% saturated fatty acids [SFA], 38% monounsaturated fatty acids [MUFA], 4% polyunsaturated fatty acids [PUFA]), butter-enriched meal (35% SFA, 22% MUFA, 4% PUFA), and walnut-enriched meal (20% SFA, 24% MUFA, 16% PUFA, and 4% α-linolenic acid). Leptin, resistin, adiponectin, and free fatty acids were determined at 0, 3, 6, and 8.5 hours after the fat load. After the walnut-enriched meal, plasma adiponectin concentrations were higher at 3 and 6 hours (P = .011, P = .046, respectively) compared with the butter-enriched meal and higher at 6 hours compared with the olive oil–enriched meal (P = .036). Free fatty acid levels decreased from baseline at 3 hours after the walnut-enriched meal (P = .001). No differences were observed between the 3 meals for leptin and resistin responses. Our data confirmed a beneficial profile in the postprandial response to walnuts, source of omega-3 PUFA with an increased postprandial adiponectin and lower postprandial free fatty acid responses. These findings suggest that the postprandial state is important for understanding the possible cardioprotective effects associated with omega-3 PUFA dietary fat.