Observational StudySex Differences in Metabolism Following a High-fat Meal

Long-term consumption (i.e., several weeks to months) of a diet that is high in fat (>35% daily calories from fat) is associated with the development of insulin resistance, a condition that can lead to a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. Women tend to be better protected against the development of high-fat diet-induced insulin resistance compared with men, but it is not fully understand why this sex difference exists. It is possible that women metabolize high-fat meals differently than men, which might explain why they are less likely to develop type 2 diabetes over the course of their lifetime. However, no one has ever compared the metabolic response to a high-fat meal between men and women in the hours immediately after ingestion.

During this study, the investigators will administer a single high-fat "fast-food" style breakfast meal (846 kcal, of which 58% is fat) to 24 health young adults (n=12 men, n=12 women) 18-35 years old. Their objective is to determine whether there are differences in the way men and women metabolize high-fat meals, such as this one. The research team will take regular blood samples after participants ingest this meal to measure features of glucose metabolism (e.g., blood glucose and insulin) as well as resting oxygen uptake (VO2) measurements to examine how much of this meal is burned for energy in the hours immediately after ingestion.