Aim: To identify the plasma metabolic profile associated with childhood obesity and its metabolic phenotypes.
Materials & methods: The plasma metabolic profile of 65 obese and 37 normal-weight children was obtained using proton NMR spectroscopy. NMR spectra were rationally divided into 110 integration regions, which reflect relative metabolite concentrations, and were used as statistical variables.
Results: Obese children show increased levels of lipids, N-acetyl glycoproteins, and lactate, and decreased levels of several amino acids, α-ketoglutarate, glucose, citrate, and cholinated phospholipids as compared with normal-weight children. Metabolically healthy children show lower levels of lipids and lactate, and higher levels of several amino acids and cholinated phospholipids, as compared with unhealthy children.
Conclusion: This study reveals new valuable findings in the field of metabolomics and childhood obesity. Although validation should be performed, the proof of principle looks promising and justifies a deeper investigation of the diagnostic possibilities of proton NMR metabolomics in follow-up studies. Trial registration: NCT03014856. Registered January 9, 2017.
Keywords: N-acetyl glycoproteins; NMR spectroscopy; amino acids; childhood obesity; metabolic syndrome; metabolically healthy obesity; metabolomics; multivariate analysis; obesity; phospholipids.