Characteristics of Normal/Overweight and Obese groups.

Values are given as average ± SEM for each group (34–36 per group) where N/Ow represents the normal/overweight group, with three obese groups (I, II and III of increasing obesity). Data were analyzed by ANOVA (or Chi2 for metabolic syndrome distribution), followed by post-hoc test for comparison vs normal/overweight group where *p<0.05, **p<0.01 and ***p<0.0001 and p NS indicates not significant. ApoB and ApoA1, apolipoprotein B and A1; BMI, body mass index; Chol, cholesterol; DBP, diastolic blood pressure; SBP, systolic blood pressure; WC, waist circumference. #Parameters used for diagnosis of metabolic syndrome.