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The association between antioxidant vitamins and obesity in Thai adolescents
Author(s) -
Feungpean Belen,
Tantrarungroj Pornwilai,
Chongviriyaphan Nalinee
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.22.2_supplement.730
Subject(s) - association (psychology) , obesity , antioxidant , medicine , food science , environmental health , chemistry , psychology , biochemistry , psychotherapist
Obese people are susceptible to oxidative damage due to excess adipose tissues and low antioxidant vitamin intake. The purpose of this study was to compare plasma levels of vitamins C (VC), E (VE), and lipid profiles between adolescents with normal weight and those with various degrees of obesity. Using Thai growth curve for 128 adolescents, with mean age of 14.9 years (range 12.2 – 18.3 years), 64 subjects had normal weight for height and 64 were obese. Obese subjects had lower plasma VC levels than normal ones (0.64 ± 0.36 vs. 0.85 ± 0.35 mg/dL; p = 0.001) but there was no difference in VE levels. Severely obese subjects had lower VC levels than moderately or mildly ones (0.58 ± 0.36, 0.65 ± 0.36, and 0.70 ± 0.35 mg/dL, respectively) without a statistical significance. Obese subjects had higher triglyceride (TG) but lower HDL levels than normal ones (93.7 ± 44.2 vs. 65.9 ± 31.9 and 40.1 ± 8.1 vs. 50.6 ± 8.8 mg/dL, respectively; p < 0.001). Plasma VE levels and lipid profiles were not significantly different among obese groups. There was no significant difference in VC and VE intake between obese and normal subjects; but VE intakes were different between severely and mildly obese subjects (0.95 ± 0.6 vs. 0.56 ± 0.3 mg/day; p = 0.04). In conclusion, Thai obese adolescents had lower VC, HDL but higher TG levels than normal counterparts. There was no significant difference in antioxidant vitamin levels or lipid profile among obese adolescents. Funded by the Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital Research Grant