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Plasma High‐Resolution Metabolomics Differentiates Adults with Normal Weight Obesity from Lean Individuals
Author(s) -
Bellissimo Moriah P.,
Cai Qingpo,
Ziegler Thomas R.,
Liu Ken H.,
Tran Phong H.,
Vos Miriam B.,
Martin Greg S.,
Jones Dean P.,
Yu Tianwei,
Alvarez Jessica A.
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
obesity
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.438
H-Index - 199
eISSN - 1930-739X
pISSN - 1930-7381
DOI - 10.1002/oby.22654
Subject(s) - overweight , metabolomics , medicine , obesity , endocrinology , body mass index , linoleic acid , chemistry , biology , biochemistry , bioinformatics , fatty acid
Objective This study explored underlying metabolism‐related dysfunction by examining metabolomic profiles in adults categorized as lean, as having normal weight obesity (NWO), or as having overweight/obesity. Methods Participants ( N = 179) had fasting plasma analyzed by liquid chromatography and high‐resolution mass spectrometry for high‐resolution metabolomics. Body composition was assessed by dual‐energy x‐ray absorptiometry. NWO was defined as BMI < 25 and body fat > 30% for women and > 23% for men. Differentiating metabolomic features were determined by using linear regression models and likelihood ratio tests with false discovery rate correction. Mummichog was used for pathway and network analyses. Results A total of 222 metabolites significantly differed between the groups at a false discovery rate of q = 0.2. Linoleic acid, β‐alanine, histidine, and aspartate/asparagine metabolism pathways were significantly enriched (all P < 0.01) by metabolites that were similarly upregulated in the NWO and overweight/obesity groups compared with the lean group. A module analysis linked branched‐chain amino acids and amino acid metabolites as elevated in the NWO and overweight/obesity groups compared with the lean group (all P < 0.05). Conclusions Metabolomic profiles of individuals with NWO reflected similar metabolic disruption as those of individuals with overweight/obesity. High‐resolution metabolomics may help identify people at risk for developing obesity‐related disease, despite normal BMI.