Overweight and Obesity Are Positively Associated with Serum Copper Levels in Mexican Schoolchildren

Abstract

Due to its relationship with oxidative stress and inflammation responses, obesity and its cardiometabolic implications have been related with serum copper (Cu). Hence, we analyzed the association of overweight (OW) and obesity (OB) status and cardiometabolic traits with serum Cu level in Mexican schoolchildren. Anthropometrical data and cardiometabolic traits were analyzed in this cross-sectional study. Serum Cu level was measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The study involved 191 schoolchildren (93 girls and 98 boys) with a mean age of 8.054 ± 1.170 years. Children with OW and OB had higher serum Cu levels than children with normal weight (NW) (mean difference: OW vs NW = 51.85 µg dL^-1, OB vs NW = 47.22 µg dL^-1, p < 0.001). In a multiple linear regression model, OW and OB status were positively associated with serum Cu levels (β_OW = 49.85, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 35.84-63.87, p < 0.001; β_OB = 44.38, 95% CI 27.70-61.05, p < 0.001). We did not identify any significant association between cardiometabolic traits and serum Cu level. In conclusion, our results show an association of the presence of OW and OB with higher serum Cu levels, for the first time in Mexican schoolchildren. However, further functional studies are needed to better understand the role of Cu in the pathophysiology of obesity.