Functional single-nucleotide polymorphism (rs762551) in CYP1A2 gene affects white coffee intake in healthy 20- to 40-year-old adults.

Coffee is one of the most consumed beverages in the world, but the extent to which it is consumed is affected by both environmental and genetic factors. Genome-wide association studies and candidate date association studies have identified several gene variants associated with increased consumption of coffee. Functional single-nucleotide polymorphisms in rs762551 (cytochrome P450 1A2 [CYP1A2]) and rs5751876 (adenosine receptor A2A [ADORA2A]) has been linked to individual caffeine response. Coffee intake has been shown to affect lipid metabolism. We thus hypothesize that rs762551 (CYP1A2) A allele carriers consume more coffee than C allele carriers and that rs5751876 (ADORA2A) C allele carriers consume less coffee than T allele carriers. Additionally, we hypothesize that CYP1A2 genotype can modulate serum glucose concentrations and lipid profile. A total of 421 participants aged 20 to 40 years were recruited from 2016 to 2018 in Poznan, Poland. Genotyping of CYP1A2 and ADORA2A was performed using TaqMan probes. Individuals with AA CYP1A2 genotype consumed relatively more coffee with milk (72.81 ± 10.15 mL/1000 kcal vs 43.38 ± 6.42 mL/1000 kcal, P = .008) and with milk or cream than did C allele carriers, whereas the rs5751876 ADORA2A polymorphism was not associated with coffee or tea intake. Additionally, subjects with AA CYP1A2 genotype had 10% higher serum triacylglycerol (TG) concentrations than C allele carriers. This study suggests that CYP1A2 rs762551 polymorphism is associated with coffee intake and serum TG concentrations in healthy 20- to 40-year-old adults.

Associations of plasma betaine, plasma choline, choline intake, and MTHFR polymorphism (rs1801133) with anthropometric parameters of healthy adults are sex-dependent.

BACKGROUND: Choline and its metabolites apppear to have relationships with body mass index (BMI), body fat, and body weight, but the research results have proved inconsistent. We thus investigated the associations of plasma levels of trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), choline, and betaine with anthropometric measurements, including modulatory effects of genetics and diet. METHODS: The study was performed on a group of 421 adults, aged 20-40 years, who had been recruited in Poland. Plasma concentrations of choline, betaine, and TMAO were determined using reverse-phase ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry. The following polymorphisms were genotyped using TaqMan probes: rs180113 (MTHFR), rs70991108 (DHFR), rs2236225 (MTHFD1), and rs7946 and rs12325817 (PEMT). We employed multivariate linear regression to examine the associations between anthropometric measurements, one-carbon metabolism metabolites, and genotypes. RESULTS: Higher plasma choline was associated with higher BMI (ß = 0.17; p < 0.01), body weight (ß = 0.11; p < 0.05), body fat mass (FM) (ß = 0.10; p < 0.05), and waist circumference (WC) (ß = 0.14; p < 0.01), whereas higher choline intake was associated with lower body FM (ß = -0.14; p < 0.01) and lower WC (ß = -0.12; p < 0.01). After stratification by sex, plasma betaine was found to be associated with lower BMI (ß = -0.20; p < 0.05) and body weight (ß = -0.16; p < 0.05) in men only, whereas choline intake was associated with lower body FM (ß = -0.19; p < 0.05) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) (ß = -0.19; p < 0.05) and MTHFR CC genotype was associated with WHR (ß = 0.15; p < 0.05) in women only. CONCLUSIONS: Higher plasma betaine and higher dietary choline are associated with lower FM and body weight, whereas higher plasma choline is positively associated with body weight status and adiposity. Moreover, these associations appear to be sex-specific.

Mitochondrial DNA and Epigenetics: Investigating Interactions with the One-Carbon Metabolism in Obesity.

Mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNAcn) has been proposed for use as a surrogate biomarker of mitochondrial health, and evidence suggests that mtDNA might be methylated. Intermediates of the one-carbon cycle (1CC), which is duplicated in the cytoplasm and mitochondria, have a major role in modulating the impact of diet on the epigenome. Moreover, epigenetic pathways and the redox system are linked by the metabolism of glutathione (GSH). In a cohort of 101 normal-weight and 97 overweight/obese subjects, we evaluated mtDNAcn and methylation levels in both mitochondrial and nuclear areas to test the association of these marks with body weight, metabolic profile, and availability of 1CC intermediates associated with diet. Body composition was associated with 1CC intermediate availability. Reduced levels of GSH were measured in the overweight/obese group (p = 1.3∗10-5). A high BMI was associated with lower LINE-1 (p = 0.004) and nominally lower methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene methylation (p = 0.047). mtDNAcn was lower in overweight/obese subjects (p = 0.004) and independently correlated with MTHFR methylation levels (p = 0.005) but not to LINE-1 methylation levels (p = 0.086). DNA methylation has been detected in the light strand but not in the heavy strand of the mtDNA. Although mtDNA methylation in the light strand did not differ between overweight/obese and normal-weight subjects, it was nominally correlated with homocysteine levels (p = 0.035) and MTHFR methylation (p = 0.033). This evidence suggests that increased body weight might perturb mitochondrial-nuclear homeostasis affecting the availability of nutrients acting as intermediates of the one-carbon cycle.

Comparison of Associations between One-Carbon Metabolism, Lipid Metabolism, and Fatty Liver Markers in Normal-Weight and Overweight People Aged 20-40 Years.

The aim of the present study was to compare biomarkers of one-carbon metabolism (OCM), lipid metabolism, and fatty liver in people with normal and increased body weight. The study was performed on 421 participants, aged 20-40 years, enrolled in Poznan, Poland, in 2016-2018. Choline and betaine intakes were assessed. DNA samples were genotyped for polymorphisms of phosphatidylethanolamine N-methyltransferase (PEMT; rs7946 and rs12325817), methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR; rs180113), methylenetetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase (MTHFD1; rs2236225), and dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR; rs70991108). To assess the associations between blood metabolites (choline, betaine, folate, L-carnitine, o-acetyl-L-carnitine, and trimethylamine N-oxide]), circulating lipids, and fatty liver indices, multiple logistic regression analyses were performed. Overweight/obese participants had 5.8% higher choline (p < 0.05) and 10% higher L-carnitine (p < 0.001) levels than normal-weight subjects. Serum folate and betaine levels were associated with lower total cholesterol (p < 0.001 and p < 0.05), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (p < 0.001 and p < 0.05, respectively), triacylglycerols (p < 0.01 and p < 0.001), and triglyceride glucose index (p < 0.001 and p < 0.01, respectively), though only in overweight/obese people. The PEMT rs12325817 CC genotype was associated with higher levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (p < 0.01) in overweight/obese people. The associations between OCM markers, fatty liver indices, and blood lipids differ in subjects with normal and excessive body weight.

Hedonic Hunger Is Associated with Intake of Certain High-Fat Food Types and BMI in 20- to 40-Year-Old Adults.

BACKGROUND: Hedonic hunger occurs in response to a desire to consume food for pleasure. The µ-opioid system regulates the hedonic impact of food and the opioid receptor mu 1 gene (OPRM1) polymorphism has been associated with fat intake. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine whether the intake of high-fat food is associated with hedonic hunger and the OPRM1 polymorphism and whether these variables are related to BMI. METHODS: Participants were 20- to 40-y-old women and men enrolled in Poznan, Poland in 2016-2018. The frequency of consumption of high-fat food was measured using a validated application for mobile devices. Hedonic hunger was assessed with the use of the Power of Food Scale (PFS). PFS1, PFS2, and PFS3 scores were generated for food available, food present, and food tasted, respectively. Genotyping of rs1799971 in the OPRM1 gene was performed using TaqMan probes. The associations were analyzed using linear regression or logistic regression, as appropriate. RESULTS: Hedonic hunger scores were not associated with total high-fat food intake. Total PFS was associated with snack intake (ß: 0.16, P = 0.0066). PFS1 was positively associated with healthy high-fat food intake (ß: 0.27, P = 0.0001) and PFS2 with sweet high-fat food and fast-food intake (ß: 0.27, P = 0.0030). OPRM1 genotype and hedonic hunger interacted on fast-food intake (ß: -0.17; P < 0.0154). Total PFS and PFS2 increased the chance of having a BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2 (OR: 1.43; 95% CI: 1.03, 2.01; P = 0.0335 and OR: 1.89; 95% CI: 1.37, 2.61; P = 0.0001, respectively), whereas PFS3 decreased it (OR: 0.61; 95% CI: 0.41, 0.87; P = 0.0082). CONCLUSIONS: Hedonic hunger is associated with the intake of selected types of high-fat food, but not with its total intake, in people aged 20-40 y. Associations between hedonic hunger and fast-food intake can be modified by OPRM1 genotype. Hedonic hunger is associated with BMI.

Greater self-reported preference for fat taste and lower fat restraint are associated with more frequent intake of high-fat food.

The determinants of the intake of high-fat products are not well recognized, but fat preference may be one of them. The aim of this study was thus to determine whether intake of different types of high-fat food is associated with fat preference in people with normal and increased body weight. Participants aged 20-40 years [n = 421] were enrolled in Poznan, Poland in 2016-2018. Fat preference was measured using the Fat Preference Questionnaire. Self-reported preference for fat taste (TASTE) and fat restraint (DIFF) scores were calculated. The frequency of consuming high-fat food was measured with an application for mobile devices using ecological momentary assessment. TASTE was positively associated with calorie intake and total frequency of eating high-fat food in both the normal weight and the overweight/obese groups. Overweight and obese people had lower DIFF (p < 0.001) than normal weight people. DIFF was negatively associated with total calorie intake and total intake of high-fat food, but only in normal weight people (ß = -0.16, p < 0.01 and ß = -0.26, p < 0.001, respectively). DIFF was negatively associated with the frequency of eating sweet (ß = -0.33, p < 0.000) and meat high-fat food (ß = -0.25, p < 0.001) in the normal weight group. The frequency of consumption of high-fat food and calorie intake are positively associated with self-reported preference for fat taste. In normal weight subjects fat restraint is negatively associated with calorie intake and total frequency of high-fat food intake, as well as with intake of different types of fatty food. Fat preference measures are thus associated with high-fat food intake, but these associations differ by body weight status.

Low folate intake and serum levels are associated with higher body mass index and abdominal fat accumulation: a case control study.

BACKGROUND: The link between folate metabolism and obesity has recently been underlined, suggesting that folate deficiency may lead to body weight gain and adiposity. We thus wished to determine whether the inefficiency in folate metabolism caused by genetic variation in the MTHFR and DHFR genes in folate metabolism, or inadequate folate intake, is associated with obesity. METHODS: A case-control study including 421 healthy participants (aged 20-40) was performed in Poznan, Poland. The cases were 213 subjects with BMI > 25 kg/m2, while the controls were 208 subjects with BMI < 25 kg/m2. Genotyping of rs70991108 (DHFR) and rs1801133 (MTHFR) was performed using TaqMan probes. Serum folate concentrations were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and homocysteine was assessed with high performance liquid chromatography. RESULTS: Subjects with overweight and obesity had 12% lower folate intake (p < 0.05) and 8.5% lower folate serum concentrations (p < 0.01) than the controls. Serum folate concentrations and folate intake were inversely associated with body fat percentage (p < 0.05) and waist circumference (p < 0.05 and p < 0.001, respectively). Serum folate concentration, though not folate intake, was negatively associated with WHR and BMI (p < 0.05, for both associations). CONCLUSIONS: Lower folate intake and serum levels are weakly, but independently, associated with greater body weight and central adiposity in people aged 20-40. MTHFR and DHFR polymorphism seems not to have significant impact on body weight.

Polymorphism of CD36 Determines Fat Discrimination but Not Intake of High-Fat Food in 20- to 40-Year-Old Adults.

BACKGROUND: The determinants of the intake of high-fat products are not well understood. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine the relations between fat perception, intake of high-fat food, and body-weight status, taking into account the polymorphism of the genes that encode the proteins involved in oral fat perception. METHODS: A total of 421 participants aged 20-40 y were enrolled in Poznan, Poland, from 2016 to 2018. An ascending forced-choice triangle procedure was applied to determine fat discrimination ability. Salad dressings with varying concentrations of canola oil were used as stimuli. Genotyping of rs1761667 (CD36) rs1573611 [free fatty acid receptor 1 (FFAR1)], rs17108973 [free fatty acid receptor 4 (FFAR4)], and rs2274333 (CA6) was performed using TaqMan probes. The frequency of consumption of high-fat foods was measured using an application for mobile devices that uses the ecological momentary assessment approach. The associations were analyzed using linear regression or logistic regression, as appropriate. RESULTS: Individuals with the GG CD36 genotype were twice as likely to be fat discriminators, compared with the A allele carriers (P < 0.05). The mean total consumption of high-fat food was 45.8 (44.6, 47.0) times/wk and was not associated with fat discrimination or body-weight status. Obese and overweight subjects ate healthy high-fat food less frequently than did participants with normal body weight, at 4.53 (3.83, 5.23) versus 6.68 (5.82, 7.55) times/wk, respectively (P < 0.001). Men ate sweet high-fat food and snacks 15% less frequently than did women (P < 0.001 and P < 0.05) but consumed high-fat meat and fast food almost 40% more often than did women (P < 0.001 for both associations). CONCLUSIONS: In individuals aged 20-40 y, fat discrimination ability is associated with polymorphism of CD36 but not with the choice of high-fat food. The frequency of consumption of different types of high-fat foods varies by sex and body-weight status.

Dietary patterns associated with obesity and overweight: When should misreporters be included in analysis?

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to identify dietary patterns associated with overweight and obesity and to examine the effect of including and excluding misreporters on the analysis of these dietary patterns and on the associations between identified dietary patterns and anthropometric parameters. METHODS: The study was carried out with adult participants in an observational case-control manner. The participants' diet was assessed using 3-d dietary records. To identify misreporters, the Goldberg and Black cutoff method was used. Dietary patterns were evaluated using factor analysis and dietary indices. RESULTS: Among 410 participants, 100 were underreporters and 1 was an overreporter. The nutritional value of the diets and the relative intake of several groups of food products differed between those with normal and increased body weight. Excluding misreporters affected the differences between body weight groups in energy; dietary fiber; empty calories; cholesterol; sodium; magnesium; folate; vitamins C, PP, and A; groats; vegetables; coffee; and water intake. The Western diet (WD) factor correlated positively with the waist circumference and the amount of fat tissue, whereas the healthy diet (HD) factor correlated negatively with body weight, waist circumference, and the fat tissue amount. The coefficients of the correlation between the HD factor and the anthropometric parameters were stronger when misreporters were excluded, whereas those between the WD factor and the parameters did not change much after exclusion of misreporters. CONCLUSIONS: There is a positive relationship between the WD pattern and obesity. The exclusion of misreporters from the data set may positively affect the association between the HD pattern and anthropometric parameters.

Use of a Smartphone Application Can Improve Assessment of High-Fat Food Consumption in Overweight Individuals.

BACKGROUND: We evaluated the feasibility of an application for measuring the frequency of consumption of high-fat foods and compared this application with standard methods. METHODS: Twenty-six females and thirty six males aged 20⁻40 were enrolled in Poland. Participants completed the Block Screening Questionnaire for Fat Intake (BSQF; Q1) and a second questionnaire (Q2) with additional high-fat foods. The participants were then monitored for ten days in a real-time manner using a smartphone application that employed the same lists of food as Q2. RESULTS: Most subjects (84%) gave replies to at least three prompts on at least 5 days. The results from Q1 and the application were correlated (r = 0.42, p < 0.001). Energy intake and the frequency of consumption of high-fat foods were correlated in the overweight/obese group (r = 0.83, p < 0.001). The mean differences between Q2 and the app were similar in both groups but the agreement limits were wider in the overweight/obese group than in the normal weight group. CONCLUSIONS: An application for mobile devices is a feasible tool for capturing the frequency of high-fat food consumption and it seems to improve the measured variable, especially in overweight or obese people.

The State of Nutrigenomic Education in Poland.

BACKGROUND: In Poland, 45 higher education institutions offer degrees in dietetics. However, only 20 of these offer nutrigenomics or nutrigenetics courses. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to assess the current state of nutri-genomic education in Poland and to evaluate the level of nutrigenomic knowledge held by dieticians. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was performed to examine the self-reported attitudes of 193 dietetics students and dietetics professionals who graduated from 33 Polish higher-level institutions. RESULTS: The great majority of respondents were familiar with nutrigenomics and had a positive attitude to it, and this attitude was independent of whether they participated in nutrigenomics courses. Sixty-six percent of the respondents had received training in nutrigenomics, but nutrigenomic education did not meet the expectations of 57% of dieticians. Dieticians possess low levels of self-reported knowledge of nutrigenomics, and only about 15% of respondents know how to effectively communicate information on genetic risk to patients and understand the effect of nutrients on molecular mechanisms. Despite this lack of knowledge, 59% of respondents had a positive attitude to nutri-genomics, and 63% of them had a great interest in broadening their knowledge. Subjects who had participated in nutrigenomics courses exhibited a better understanding of several areas of nutrigenomics. They were especially interested in practical aspects of nutrigenomics, such as the essence of personalized diets and the practical application of nutrigenomics. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, Polish dieticians have a positive attitude to nutrigenomics but do not perceive themselves as well educated in this field, which is partly due to systemic problems. The study shows the need for improvements in nutrigenomic education in Poland.