Serum metabolites associated with increased insulin resistance and low cardiorespiratory fitness in overweight adolescents

Renata G Duft; Alex Castro; Ivan L P Bonfante; Wendell A Lopes; Larissa R da Silva; Mara P T Chacon-Mikahil; Neiva Leite; Cláudia R Cavaglieri

doi:10.1016/j.numecd.2021.09.024

Serum metabolites associated with increased insulin resistance and low cardiorespiratory fitness in overweight adolescents

Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2022 Jan;32(1):269-278. doi: 10.1016/j.numecd.2021.09.024. Epub 2021 Oct 9.

Authors

Renata G Duft¹, Alex Castro², Ivan L P Bonfante³, Wendell A Lopes⁴, Larissa R da Silva⁵, Mara P T Chacon-Mikahil², Neiva Leite⁵, Cláudia R Cavaglieri²

Affiliations

¹ Laboratory of Exercise Physiology, Faculty of Physical Education, University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil. Electronic address: renataduft@gmail.com.
² Laboratory of Exercise Physiology, Faculty of Physical Education, University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil.
³ Laboratory of Exercise Physiology, Faculty of Physical Education, University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil; Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of São Paulo, Hortolandia Campus, Hortolandia, Brazil.
⁴ Department of Physical Education, State University of Maringa, Maringa, Brazil.
⁵ Department of Physical Education, University of Parana, Curitiba, Brazil.

PMID: 34906412
DOI: 10.1016/j.numecd.2021.09.024

Abstract

Background and aims: Obesity affects metabolism, increasing the risk of developing non-communicable diseases in adolescence, due to excess adipose tissue and low cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF). The metabolomics approach allows the elucidation of metabolites, which may have the concentrations altered by several factors, such as body composition (BC). We aimed to analyze the metabolomic profile of normal-weight and overweight adolescents and associate the metabolites with clinical markers related to BC, insulin resistance (IR), and CRF.

Methods and results: The sample was composed of 57 adolescents and divided into two groups: the normal-weight group (NWG, n = 24) and the overweight group (OWG, n = 33). They underwent blood collection and anthropometric, BC, and CRF assessment. Blood serum samples were analyzed by ¹H-NMR spectroscopy (600 MHz). The OWG presented higher values of body weight (BW), body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), fasting glucose, insulin, IR, cholesterol, and percentage of fat mass (%FM) and lower levels of peak oxygen consumption (VO₂ peak) compared with the NWG. The OWG presented lower concentrations of 3-hydroxyisovalerate, glutamate, and methionine as well as higher concentrations of aspartate, asparagine, creatine, glycerol, myo-inositol, proline, pyruvate, tyrosine, and valerate compared with the NWG. The concentrations of glutamate, myo-inositol, creatine, methionine, and valerate correlated with %FM; pyruvate and valerate positively correlated with IR; and glutamate, tyrosine, and valerate negatively correlated with CRF.

Conclusion: Changes in the BC lead to changes in the metabolomic profile of adolescents, and the altered metabolites are associated with increased IR and low CRF. These results indicate new targets for health monitoring and prevention of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases in adolescents.

Keywords: Adolescent obesity; Cardiorespiratory fitness; Insulin resistance; Metabolism; Metabolomics.

Copyright © 2021 The Italian Diabetes Society, the Italian Society for the Study of Atherosclerosis, the Italian Society of Human Nutrition and the Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Body Mass Index
Cardiorespiratory Fitness*
Humans
Insulin Resistance*
Overweight / diagnosis
Serum
Waist Circumference