Obesity was associated with a significant increase in postabsorptive plasma concentrations
of the branched-chain keto acids in men but not in women matched for body-mass index and
age. Plasma glucose and serum insulin were significantly higher in obese subjects than in
nonobese control subjects. Obese women had more adipose tissue than did obese men
from the sum of triceps and subscapular skinfold thickness. It is suggested that augmentation
in plasma branched-chain keto acids in obesity may reflect insulin resistance and that the …