One cheeseburger could alter metabolism, scientists say

A single cheeseburger or pizza blow-out could alter metabolism and trigger changes linked to fatty liver disease and diabetes, German scientists have revealed.

While a fit body might be able to recover from one such meal, regular big helpings of rich, fatty food are likely to cause lasting damage, Professor Michael Roden of the German Diabetes Centre in Dusseldorf said.

For Professor Roden’s study, 14 lean and healthy men aged 20 to 40 were either given a vanilla-flavoured palm oil drink or plain water.

The palm oil contained a similar amount of saturated fat as an eight-slice pepperoni pizza or 110g cheeseburger served with a large portion of french fries.

"One such meal would probably be sufficient to induce transient insulin resistance and impair hepatic (liver) metabolism,” Prof Roden wrote in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.

Tests showed that consuming the palm oil resulted in an immediate increase in fat accumulation and reduced sensitivity to insulin, the vital hormone that regulates blood sugar.

"We presume that lean, healthy individuals are able to compensate adequately for excessive intake of saturated fatty acids, however, sustained and repeated exposure to such nutrients will ultimately lead to chronic insulin resistance, and NAFLD (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease)."

The meal also raised levels of triglycerides - a type of fat linked to heart disease – by 35 percent and led to changes in gene activity associated with fatty liver disease.

The mechanism that generates glucose sugar from non-carbohydrate foods also became 70 percent more active.

Similar effects were seen in mice given the same palm oil treatment.

With AAP