Objective: To study the relationship between fasting plasma amino acids and obesity in the physical examination population.
Methods: A total of 1859 persons who underwent physical examination in the Second Affiliated Hospital Zhejiang University School of Medicine from January to December 2020 were enrolled. Fasting plasma amino acids concentrations and body fat ratio(BFR) were respectively determined by ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry(UPLC-MS/MS) and Inbody instrument. According to body mass index and gender grouping, Python language was used for data analysis and graphic visualization to explore the relationship between body mass index, gender and plasma amino acids levels.
Results: The plasma levels of glycine, serine and asparagine in the overweight and obesity groups were significantly lower than those in the normal group, especially the levels in the obesity group were lower than those in the overweight group in males(P<0.05). There was no significant difference in plasma levels of lysine, tryptophan, arginine and hydroxyproline among normal, overweight and obesity groups(P>0.05). The plasma levels of leucine, valine, tyrosine, phenylalanine(in males), isoleucine(in females) and alanine in the overweight and obesity groups were significantly higher than those in the normal group, and the levels in the obesity group were higher than those in the overweight group except alanine(P<0.05). BFR was positively correlated with body mass index. BFR in females increased significantly with age after 50 years old(P<0.05).
Conclution: The rate of overweight and obesity among the health screening population is high.
Keywords: obesity; physical examination population; plasma amino acids.