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. 2016 Jun 20;11(6):e0157733.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0157733. eCollection 2016.

Specific Metabolic Markers Are Associated with Future Waist-Gaining Phenotype in Women

Benedikt Merz  1   2 , Ute Nöthlings  1 , Simone Wahl  3   4   5 , Marjolein Haftenberger  6 , Anja Schienkiewitz  6 , Jerzy Adamski  7 , Karsten Suhre  8   9 , Rui Wang-Sattler  3 , Harald Grallert  3   4   5 , Barbara Thorand  4   5 , Tobias Pischon  10 , Ursula Bachlechner  2 , Anna Floegel  2 , Annette Peters  4   5 , Heiner Boeing  2
Affiliations

Specific Metabolic Markers Are Associated with Future Waist-Gaining Phenotype in Women

Benedikt Merz et al. PLoS One. .

Abstract

Objective: Our 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.

Methods: Data 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.

Results: Across 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.

Conclusion: Both 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.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1. Distribution of waist-hip difference in weight-gaining individuals stratified by sex for each study.
DEGS, German Health Interview and Examination Survey for adults; EPIC, European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition Potsdam Study; KORA, Cooperative Health Research in the Region of Augsburg Study.
Fig 2
Fig 2. Metabolites showing significant associations with WG phenotype in women after correction for multiple testing.
EPIC, European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition Potsdam Study; KORA, Cooperative Health Research in the Region of Augsburg Study; PC, phosphatidylcholines; a, acyl; e, alkyl; SM, sphingomyelin.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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