Abstract MP31: Serum Metabolite Signatures for Metabolic Healthy and Unhealthy Obesity: The Bogalusa Heart Study

Introduction: Mechanisms for metabolically healthy obesity (MHO) are not well studied. Methods: We performed cross-sectional analyses among 1,261 participants of the Bogalusa Heart Study 2013-2016 survey. A total of 887 known serum metabolites were profiled using an untargeted approach. Participants who met all the following five criteria were considered metabolically healthy, otherwise, unhealthy: 1) SBP <130 mm Hg and DBP <85 mm Hg; 2) fasting glucose <100 mg/dl; 3) triglycerides <150 mg/dl; 4) HDL ≥40 mg/dl in men and ≥50 mg/dl in women; and 5) not taking medications for hypertension, diabetes, or dyslipidemia. We tested associations of metabolites with metabolic health status, controlling for age, sex, race, education, smoking, drinking, and kidney function. Results: Among 648 obese participants (BMI≥30 kg/m 2 ), 66 (10.2%) had MHO. After Bonferroni correction, 26 metabolites differed between MHO and metabolically unhealthy obesity (MUO) groups. Amino acids serine , glycine, and histidine , fatty acid N-linoleoylserine , 4 sphingolipids, and 3 plasmalogens were significantly higher among MHO individuals. These metabolites are functionally relevant to metabolic health ( Table ). Carbohydrates mannose , lactate, and pyruvate , urate , amino acids glutamate , 1-carboxyethylvaline , 1-carboxyethylleucine , 3-methyl-2-oxovalerate , and 3-methyl-2-oxobutyrate , PE(18:0/18:2(9Z,12Z)) , and 5 diacylglycerols were significantly higher in the MUO group. These metabolites are mostly food additives or reduce gut microbiota diversity ( Table ). Furthermore, histidine was associated with metabolic health only among overweight and obese participants. Odds ratios of being metabolically healthy per SD increase of histidine among normal weight, overweight, and obese participants were 1.05 (95% CI: 0.83-1.32), 1.54 (95% CI: 1.10-2.14), and 2.12 (95% CI: 1.56-2.89), respectively (P for group difference=1.41E-4). Conclusion: We identified potential intervention targets to improve metabolic health in obesity.