TITLE:
Comparative Study of Inflammatory and Oxidative Stress Biomarkers in Different Metabolically Healthy Obesity Phenotypes
AUTHORS:
Astha Dwivedi, Sandeep Kumar, Sharmistha Singh, Poonam Chandra Mittal
KEYWORDS:
Metabolically Healthy Obesity, Metabolic Syndrome Risk Factors, Oxidative Stress, Inflammatory Markers
JOURNAL NAME:
Food and Nutrition Sciences,
Vol.11 No.6,
June
17,
2020
ABSTRACT: Aims: Obesity is the major contributor of the metabolic syndrome (MetS), but a unique
phenotype of obesity known as metabolically healthy obese (MHO) shows healthier
metabolic profile; however
understanding of their biochemical correlates is poorly understood. Obesity is
defined by Body mass index (BMI), but controversy exists regarding
ethnic-specific BMI cut-offs. The present study used the Asian Indian BMI cut-offs to assess
relationships of MHO phenotypes with oxidative stress (OS) and inflammation. Methods: In this case-control study, 299 metabolically-healthy (MH) respondents were
divided into four groups as per Asian criteria for obesity: MH non-obese (MHNO), MH overweight (MHOW), MHO and MH severely obese (MHSO).
Their oxidative stress and pro-inflammatory markers were measured. Results: Levels
of hydroxyl radicals (·OH), fluorescent oxidation products (FLOP), MDA, PCO and inflammatory
markers CRP, TNF-α, IL-6 were highest in MHSO
phenotype followed by the MHO, MHOW and MHNO groups (p > 0.0001),
whereas antioxidant markers, CuZn-SOD, catalase, glutathione peroxidase and
total antioxidant activity followed the reverse trend. The MHNO and MHOW groups
showed significant difference with regard to (·OH)
radicals and FLOP. Moreover, ·OH radicals, FLOP and inflammatory markers were significantly correlated
to BMI in MHSO and MHO but not in MHNO and MHOW group. Conclusion: The
MHO and MHSO phenotype display differences in terms of OS and inflammatory
markers at lower BMI cut-offs,
indicating that they may be on the way to becoming “unhealthy” obese. The lower BMI cut-offs
proposed by Indian Consensus Group would help in understanding of
manifestation of metabolic syndrome.