Abstract
ObjectiveOur study aims to identify metabolic markers associated with either a gain in abdominal (measured by waist circumference) or peripheral (measured by hip circumference) body fat mass.MethodsData of 4 126 weight-gaining adults (18–75 years) from three population-based, prospective German cohort studies (EPIC, KORA, DEGS) were analysed regarding a waist-gaining (WG) or hip-gaining phenotype (HG). The phenotypes were obtained by calculating the differences of annual changes in waist minus hip circumference. The difference was displayed for all cohorts. The highest 10% of this difference were defined as WG whereas the lowest 10% were defined as HG. A total of 121 concordant metabolite measurements were conducted using Biocrates AbsoluteIDQ® kits in EPIC and KORA. Sex-specific associations with metabolite concentration as independent and phenotype as the dependent variable adjusted for confounders were calculated. The Benjamini-Hochberg method was used to correct for multiple testing.ResultsAcross studies both sexes gained on average more waist than hip circumference. We could identify 12 metabolites as being associated with the WG (n = 8) or HG (n = 4) in men, but none were significant after correction for multiple testing; 45 metabolites were associated with the WG (n = 41) or HG (n = 4) in women. For WG, n = 21 metabolites remained significant after correction for multiple testing. Respective odds ratios (OR) ranged from 0.66 to 0.73 for tryptophan, the diacyl-phosphatidylcholines (PC) C32:3, C36:0, C38:0, C38:1, C42:2, C42:5, the acyl-alkyl-PCs C32:2, C34:0, C36:0, C36:1, C36:2, C38:0, C38:2, C40:1, C40:2, C40:5, C40:6, 42:2, C42:3 and lyso-PC C17:0.ConclusionBoth weight-gaining men and women showed a clear tendency to gain more abdominal than peripheral fat. Gain of abdominal fat seems to be related to an initial metabolic state reflected by low concentrations of specific metabolites, at least in women. Thus, higher levels of specific PCs may play a protective role in gaining waist circumference.
Highlights
Overweight and obesity are major public health problems in Germany
We could identify 12 metabolites as being associated with the WG (n = 8) or hip-gaining phenotype (HG) (n = 4) in men, but none were significant after correction for multiple testing; 45 metabolites were associated with the WG (n = 41) or HG (n = 4) in women
Respective odds ratios (OR) ranged from 0.66 to 0.73 for tryptophan, the diacyl-phosphatidylcholines (PC) C32:3, C36:0, C38:0, C38:1, C42:2, C42:5, the acyl-alkyl-PCs C32:2, C34:0, C36:0, C36:1, C36:2, C38:0, C38:2, C40:1, C40:2, C40:5, C40:6, 42:2, C42:3 and lyso-PC C17:0. Both weight-gaining men and women showed a clear tendency to gain more abdominal than peripheral fat
Summary
Overweight and obesity are major public health problems in Germany. More than two-thirds of the male and more than half of the female population were classified as overweight in a representative nationwide survey conducted between 2008 and 2011 [1]. Increased fat mass is associated with the risk of hypertension and an increased risk for type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease (CVD) and several types of cancer [2,3,4]. The distribution of body fat has been shown to be independently associated with chronic diseases [7,8,9] and a distinction should be made between abdominal and gluteofemoral phenotypes. Measurements of waist and hip circumference have been proven useful to assess body fat distribution [10, 11]. Waist circumference has been shown to be a good measure of visceral adipose tissue and abdominal obesity [12, 13]. Larger hip circumference represents gluteofemoral and peripheral adipose tissue and subcutaneous, non-visceral fat [11]. Evidence exists that larger hip circumference attenuates risk associations based on large waist circumference [8, 19], the waist to hip ratio (WHR)–an established anthropometric marker of risk—and the waist–hip difference could be a very interesting risk marker
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