Initial Weight Loss, Anthropometric Parameters, and Proinflammatory Transcript Levels in Patients with Class I Obesity.

Research into early predictors of effective weight loss could help determine more effective therapeutic interventions. In this study, 106 subjects with class I obesity, genotyped with the fat mass and obesity-associated (FTO) rs9930506 gene variant, were enrolled into a 12-week weight loss program (WLP). Anthropometric and body composition measurements were controlled with bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) at baseline and after 4 and 12 weeks. Biopsies of abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue (AT) and venous blood samples were collected to monitor changes in interleukin 6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) mRNA levels in white blood cells (WBCs) and to assess if changes in WBC gene expression reflected changes in adipose tissue. The FTO rs9930506 variant had no effect on weight loss and no reduction in proinflammatory transcripts in WBCs or AT. Changes in anthropometric parameters were associated with changes in carbohydrate metabolism. A linear regression model showed that initial weight loss (after 4 weeks of the WLP) was the most predictive factor of weight loss success after 12 weeks of the WLP. Changes in plasma lipids or proinflammatory transcript levels in WBCs or AT were not associated with weight loss effectiveness. However, the gene expression in WBCs did reflect changes occurring in subcutaneous AT.

Anthropometric and Dietary Factors as Predictors of DNA Damage in Obese Women.

Enhanced DNA damage and disturbances in DNA repair mechanisms are reported to be involved in the pathogenesis of chronic diseases like obesity, atherosclerosis, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and cancer. The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether anthropometric factors and dietary habits are related to endogenous DNA damage. One hundred and fourteen premenopausal, apparently healthy women were included in the study: 88 obese individuals and 26 controls. The comet assay was used to measure basal DNA damage. Biochemical measurements included lipids, apolipoproteinAI, fasting insulin, glucose, and C-reactive protein high sensitivity (CRP-hs). Dietary intakes were assessed by 3-day food records. The mean level of DNA damage was almost two times higher in obese than in non-obese women (p < 0.001). Regression modeling showed that body mass index (BMI), daily intakes of energy, and vitamin C are key predictors of variance in basal DNA damage. Our data demonstrate the impact of obesity-associated inflammation on DNA damage and indicate that regardless of obesity, the level of DNA damage can be reduced by adequate intakes of vitamins C and E. It suggests that particular attention should be paid to the content of antioxidants in the diet of obese people and further studies are needed to modify dietary guidelines to prevent DNA damage in obese individuals.

New indexes of body fat distribution, visceral adiposity index, body adiposity index, waist-to-height ratio, and metabolic disturbances in the obese.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between new obesity-related indexes, anthropometric and biochemical parameters, and body composition in individuals with obesity. METHODS: The study group consisted of 72 women and 34 men, aged 39.0 ± 5.9 years, with a mean body mass index (BMI) of 32.6 ± 2.4 kg/m², admitted for body weight reduction. In all participants body weight (BW), height, waist circumference (WC), hip circumference (HC), BMI, waist-to-hip-ratio (WHR), visceral adiposity index (VAI), body adiposity index (BAI), and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) were assessed. Using bioelectrical impedance (BIA, TANITA MC 180M) the following parameters were obtained: the level of visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and body fat percentage (FM%). Serum concentrations of total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL), triglycerides (TG), glucose, insulin, and insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) were determined. RESULTS: It was observed that almost all the studied indicators: WC, WHtR, BAI, VAI, and BMI, positively correlated with VAT estimated by bioimpedance, but only VAI, WC, and WHtR were strongly associated with glucose and lipid disturbances in the obese. BAI and BMI correlated with total FM%, while WC, WHtR, and VAI correlated with total body weight. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that VAI, WC, and WHtR can be useful in the assessment of increased VAT accumulation associated with disturbances in glucose and lipid metabolism. BAI should be calculated separately for each sex, then it could be also useful for the prediction of disturbances in glucose metabolism. However, further studies are needed to recognise cut-off values for BAI, as a marker of body fatness, associated with adverse health effects.

Impact of variants in CETP and apo AI genes on serum HDL cholesterol levels in men and women from the Polish population.

INTRODUCTION: Polymorphisms in the cholesterol ester transfer protein (CETP) gene and apolipoprotein AI (apo AI) gene are identified as the most common genetic factors influencing high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL cholesterol) levels. Low HDL cholesterol is an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease. We investigated the effect of the TaqIB polymorphism of the CETP gene and the 75G/A polymorphism of the apo AI gene on the HDL cholesterol concentration in a sample of Polish adults. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 621 subjects, 414 women and 207 men, were included in this study. Lipid levels were measured using standard protocols, and apolipoprotein AI was determined by immunoturbidimetric assay. CETP and apo AI genotyping was performed using a restriction fragment length polymorphism based method. RESULTS: Significantly lower HDL cholesterol concentrations were found in B1B1 homozygotes than in carriers of the B2 allele of the TaqIB polymorphism in the CETP gene among both men and women. In GG homozygotes of the 75G/A polymorphism in the apo AI gene lower HDL cholesterol levels were observed, but the difference did not reach statistical significance. A statistically significant association of low HDL cholesterol (< 25th percentile) with CETP genotypes was found in women (p < 0.0001) and in men (p = 0.0368). CONCLUSIONS: These data demonstrate a significant impact of the TaqIB polymorphism in the CETP gene on HDL cholesterol levels in the studied Polish population, while the effect of the 75G/A polymorphism in the apo AI gene appears not to be significant.

Association between rs9930506 polymorphism of the fat mass & obesity-associated (FTO) gene & onset of obesity in Polish adults.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: The fat mass and obesity-associated (FTO) gene is known to be associated with obesity. However, no data are available on the relation between FTO rs9930506 polymorphism and obesity in Polish population. The aim of this study was to evaluate an association between rs9930506 variants of the FTO gene and obesity in Polish adults. METHODS: The study group consisted of 442 adults, aged 33.9 ±12.7 yr, with mean BMI 27.2 ± 5.4 kg/m2. The following variables were determined for each subject: fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, and triglycerides. Real-time PCR was used to detect the A/G alleles of the rs9939506 polymorphism in the FTO gene. An association between the rs9930506 polymorphism and obesity was determined using codominant, dominant, and recessive models. The odds ratio (OR) was calculated to determine the risk of obesity associated with this polymorphism. RESULTS: It was observed that the presence of FTO rs9939506 G allele was associated with increased risk for obesity and this association was found significant in both recessive (OR = 1.72, P = 0.014) and co-dominant (OR = 1.36, P = 0.031) models of inheritance. The FTO rs9939506 GG homozygotes had a significantly higher BMI than those with other genotypes. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that FTO rs9939506 GG genotype is related to higher BMI and is associated with obesity in Polish adults.

Dietary intake of antioxidant vitamins in healthy adults in relation to current recommended intake.

BACKGROUND: The health benefits arising from antioxidant vitamins A, C and E are well recognised and their recommended dietary intake for the general population have been established. However, there is still a need for assessing antioxidant vitamin intake in different population groups. OBJECTIVE: To assess intake of antioxidant vitamins: A, C, E and beta-carotene, and to identify their major sources in the diets of healthy subjects. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study group consisted of 182 adults; both men and women from polish population. Antioxidant vitamin dietary intake was assessed by individual 3-day records. Data were analysed using updated "Polish Food Composition Tables" and 'Dieta 5' Software. RESULTS: The average daily intake of antioxidant vitamins was: 1076 mg for vitamin A (including 46% of retinol and 55% of beta-carotene), 107 mg for vitamin C and 9 mg for vitamin E. Higher dietary intake of these vitamins was observed in men compared to women. CONCLUSIONS: The average intake ofantioxidant vitamins was found to be in recommended range, however, significant differences were observed between the lowest and the highest intake. They were related to differences in the consumption of food products recognized as major sources of vitamins A, C, E and beta-carotene in study population.