ABSTRACT

The dyslipidemia most commonly associated with obesity is characterized by elevated plasma triglycerides (TGs) and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). While lowdensity lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels are often normal in obese individuals, there is a preponderance of small, dense LDL particles.1 This clustering of high TG, low HDL-C (primarily large HDL2 particles), and high levels of small, dense LDL particles, termed atherogenic dyslipidemia, is also a feature of insulin resistance and the metabolic syndrome. Atherogenic dyslipidemia is associated with increased cardiovascular risk2,3 and its interrelated features arise from a common pathway of abnormal lipoprotein metabolism.