CETP activity is higher in obese adolescent boys and correlates with more TV watching and higher milk intake (Arch Med Res 2011)

Original title: Impact of unhealthy lifestyle behaviors and obesity on cholesteryl ester transfer protein among adolescent males

Arch Med Res · 1 January 2011 · 7

Hirschler V, Meroño T, Maccallini G, Gomez Rosso L, Aranda C, Brites F

Studying 164 adolescent males from an amateur rugby club, of whom 26% were obese and 23% overweight, researchers measured CETP activity alongside BMI, blood pressure, lipids, glucose, insulin, and lifestyle behaviors. CETP activity was significantly higher in obese adolescents than in normal-weight or overweight peers (174 versus 141 versus 149%/mL/min, P less than 0.001). CETP activity correlated inversely with HDL-C (r=-0.43, P=0.018) and positively with BMI (r=0.38, P=0.007), systolic blood pressure (r=0.20, P less than 0.01), triglycerides (r=0.40, P=0.001), LDL-C (r=0.46, P less than 0.001), watching more than 2 hours of TV daily (r=0.17, P=0.02), and drinking more than 3 glasses of milk daily (r=0.16, P=0.03), linking CETP activity to both metabolic and lifestyle factors in healthy adolescent males.

Original abstract

Background And Aims: Cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) has been proposed to be associated with high risk of cardiovascular disease. Increased CETP activity was previously reported in obese adults, although its association with lifestyle behaviors has not been assessed in healthy adolescents. We undertook this study to determine the association between CETP activity and overweight/obesity, insulin resistance markers, components of the metabolic syndrome and lifestyle behaviors in healthy adolescent males.

Methods: Data were collected from 164 adolescents from an amateur rugby club. Body mass index (BMI), blood pressure (BP), Tanner stages, lipids, glucose, insulin and CETP activity were measured. Questionnaires for daily intake of breakfast, sweet drinks, milk, and hours of TV watching were completed.

Results: About 26% of the adolescents were obese and 23% overweight. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 6.7%. CETP activity was higher in obese than in normal and overweight adolescents (174 ± 35, 141 ± 30, and 149 ± 38%/ml/min, respectively; p <0.001). Univariate correlations showed an inverse association between CETP and HDL-C (r = -0.43; p = 0.018) and positive ones with BMI (r = 0.38; p = 0.007), systolic BP (r = 0.20; p <0.01) triglycerides (r = 0.40; p = 0.001), LDL-C (r = 0.46; p <0.001), TV watching >2 h/day (r = 0.17; p 0.02), and milk intake >3 glasses/day (r = 0.16; p = 0.03). Multivariate analysis showed that triglycerides, LDL-C, HDL-C, TV watching >2 h/day, milk intake >3 glasses/day and BMI were significant independent predictors for CETP (R(2) = 0.41).

Conclusions: Unhealthy lifestyle habits such as TV watching >2 h daily and milk intake higher than three glasses per day and the increase in BMI were shown to be closely associated with high CETP activity in apparently healthy adolescent males. Future longitudinal studies should be performed to confirm these findings.

Summary written by cetpinhibition.org from the published abstract; figures as published. Page updated 19 August 2026. Methods.