The effect of educational and encouraging interventions on anthropometric characteristics and perilipin-1 levels: TABASSOM Study

BACKGROUND: Perilipin protein located in lipid droplets is involved in formation and storage of lipid in adipocytes; thus, it is considered as one of the obesity biomarkers. This study was performed to examine the effect of educational and encouragement interventions and lifestyle modifications on anthropometric characteristics and perilipin-1 level. METHODS: This quasi-experimental study was conducted on subsample of TABASSOM Study. Participants were 42 overweight and obese children and adolescents aged 6-18 years old and 80 overweight and obese adults aged 19-65 years old. Anthropometric characteristics including weight, height, waist circumference (WC), body fat percentage (BFP), and perilipin-1 level were measured at the first and the end of study (after one year). RESULTS: After intervention, the mean of perilipin-1 decreased significantly in total children and adolescents (before vs. after: 26.79 ± 13.17 vs. 22.57 ± 8.03; P = 0.006) and girls (27.75 ± 10.51 vs. 22.00 ± 8.15; P = 0.001), but decreasing was not significant in boys. In adults, perilipin-1 levels were significantly reduced in total subjects (before vs. after: 16.19 ± 13.42 vs. 15.34 ± 11.25; P = 0.029) and men (18.02 ± 15.78 vs. 15.44 ± 10.61; P = 0.003). There was no significant difference in mean of body mass index (BMI), WC, and BFP in both groups after 12 months. CONCLUSION: Educational and encouraging interventions and lifestyle modifications could lead to decreasing perilipin-1 level in adults, children, and adolescents.