Exploring the association between circulating trace elements, metabolic risk factors, and the adherence to a Mediterranean diet among children and adolescents with obesity

Front Public Health. 2023 Jan 13:10:1016819. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.1016819. eCollection 2022.

Abstract

Diet is one of the most important modifiable lifestyle factors for preventing and treating obesity. In this respect, the Mediterranean diet (MD) has proven to be a rich source of a myriad of micronutrients with positive repercussions on human health. Herein, we studied an observational cohort of children and adolescents with obesity (N = 26) to explore the association between circulating blood trace elements and the degree of MD adherence, as assessed through the KIDMED questionnaire. Participants with higher MD adherence showed better glycemic/insulinemic control and a healthier lipid profile, as well as raised plasma levels of selenium, zinc, cobalt, molybdenum, and arsenic, and increased erythroid content of selenium. Interestingly, we found that these MD-related mineral alterations were closely correlated with the characteristic metabolic complications behind childhood obesity, namely hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, and dyslipidemia (p < 0.05, |r| > 0.35). These findings highlight the pivotal role that dietary trace elements may play in the pathogenesis of obesity and related disorders.

Keywords: KIDMED; Mediterranean diet; childhood obesity; multi-elemental analysis; trace elements.

Publication types

  • Observational Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Child
  • Diet, Mediterranean*
  • Humans
  • Pediatric Obesity*
  • Risk Factors
  • Selenium*
  • Trace Elements*

Substances

  • Selenium
  • Trace Elements

Grants and funding

This research was partially funded by the Spanish Government through Instituto de Salud Carlos III- (PI22/01899). ÁG-D was supported by an intramural grant from the Biomedical Research and Innovation Institute of Cádiz (LII19/16IN-CO24), and RG-D was recipient of a “Miguel Servet” fellowship (CP21/00120) funded by Instituto de Salud Carlos III.