Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Short Communication
  • Published:

Faecal calprotectin levels before and after weight loss in obese and overweight subjects

International Journal of Obesity volume 37, pages 317–319 (2013)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Faecal calprotectin (FCP) is a non-invasive biomarker of intestinal inflammation, levels of which are reported to be elevated in individuals with increased body mass index (BMI). We investigated whether weight loss (WL), induced by dietary and behavioural change in a community weight loss programme (Slimming World), was associated with a reduction in FCP in a longitudinal cohort study. We obtained paired stool samples at the start and 11–15 weeks into the weight loss programme in 40 individuals with a BMI >25 kg m−2 and no known colorectal or systemic inflammatory condition. Eight of 40 (20%) ‘healthy’ participants had a baseline FCP greater than 50 μg g−1 (the accepted adult cutoff value for FCP), termed FCPhigh. Although the degree (%) of WL was similar (5.1 FCPhigh versus 6.1 FCPnormal; P=0.63), only FCPhigh individuals, but not FCPnormal participants, demonstrated a reduction in FCP level (median 0.3-fold versus 1.0-fold (that is, no change) during the study period (P=0.065). A large prospective cohort study of FCPhigh and FCPnormal obese individuals is now required to determine the relationship between local mucosal inflammation and the systemic inflammatory state associated with obesity, as well as understand the relationship between FCP levels, WL and future risk of colorectal neoplasia.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Gregor MF, Hotamisligil GS . Inflammatory mechanisms in obesity. Annu Rev Immunol 2011; 29: 415–445.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Sainsbury A, Goodlad RA, Perry SL, Pollard SG, Robins GG, Hull MA . Increased colorectal epithelial cell proliferation and crypt fission associated with obesity and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2008; 17: 1401–1410.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Galland L . Diet and inflammation. Nutr Clin Pract 2010; 25: 634–640.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Kant P, Hull MA . Excess body weight and obesity - the link with gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary cancer. Nature Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 2011; 8: 224–238.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Ullman T, Itzkowitz SH . Intestinal inflammation and cancer. Gastroenterology 2011; 140: 1807–1816.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Pendyala S, Neff LM, Suarez-Farinas M, Holt PR . Diet-induced weight loss reduces colorectal inflammation: implications for colorectal carcinogenesis. Am J Clin Nutr 2011; 93: 234–242.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Roseth AG, Fagerhol MK, Aadland E, Schjonsby H . Assessment of the neutrophil dominating protein calprotectin in feces. A methodologic study. Scand J Gastroenterol 1992; 27: 793–798.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Van Rheenen PF, Van de Vijver, Fidler V . Faecal calprotectin for screening of patients with suspected inflammatory bowel disease: Diagnostic meta-analysis. Br Med J 2010; 341: c3369.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Poulllis A, Foster R, Shetty A, Fagerhol MK, Mendall MA . Bowel inflammation as measured by fecal calprotectin: A link between lifestyle factors and colorectal cancer risk. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2004; 13: 279–284.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Pallister C, Avery A, Stubbs J, Lavin J . Influence of Slimming World's lifestyle programme on diet, activity behaviour and health of particpants and their families. J Hum Nutr Diet 2009; 24: 351–358.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Deitel M, Greenstein RJ . Recommendations for reporting weight loss. Obes Surg 2003; 13: 159–160.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Mortensen OH, Nielsen AR, Erikstrup C, Plomgaard P, Fischer CP, Krogh-Madsen R et al. Calprotectin – a novel marker of obesity. PLoS One 2009; 4: e7419.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Nijhuis J, Rensen SS, Slaats Y, van Dielen FMH, Buurman WA, Greve JWM . Neutrophil activation in morbid obesity, chronic activation of acute inflammation. Obesity 2009; 17: 2014–2018.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Catalan V, Gomez-Ambrosi J, Rodriguez A, Ramirez B, Rotellar F, Valenti V et al. Increased levels of calprotectin in obesity are related to macrophage content. Impact on inflammation and effect of weight loss. Mol Med 2011; e-pub ahead of print 5 July 2011; doi:10.2119/molmed.2011.00144.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Kronborg O, Ugstad M, Fuglerud P, Johne B, Hardcastle J, Scholefield JH et al. Faecal calprotectin levels in a high risk population for colorectal neoplasia. Gut 2000; 46: 795–800.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Summerton CB, Longlands MG, Wiener K, Shreeve DR . Faecal calprotectin: a marker of inflammation throughout the intestinal tract. Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol 2002; 14: 841–845.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We thank Dr Jacquie Lavin and all participating Slimming World members for their support. This work was funded by the Medical Research Foundation.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Section of Molecular Gastroenterology, Leeds Institute of Molecular Medicine, St James's University Hospital, Leeds, UK

    P Kant, R Fazakerley & M A Hull

Authors
  1. P Kant
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. R Fazakerley
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. M A Hull
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to M A Hull.

Ethics declarations

Competing interests

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Kant, P., Fazakerley, R. & Hull, M. Faecal calprotectin levels before and after weight loss in obese and overweight subjects. Int J Obes 37, 317–319 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/ijo.2012.38

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ijo.2012.38

Keywords

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links