Anthropometric Profile, Serum Leptin, Antioxidant Vitamins, LEPR Q223R Polymorphism and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Adolescents

Abstract

Abstract. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors, such as bad eating habits, are typical in adolescence and lead to the consumption of meals that are not always sufficient in vitamins A, E, β-carotene, excess calories and elevated serum leptin levels. The purpose of this research is to study the relationship between vitamin A deficiency (VAD), β-carotene deficiency (βcD), vitamin E deficiency (VED) and to explore the association of leptin receptor Q223R polymorphisms with obesity and other risk factors for CVD. Method: This observational study included 237 adolescents recruited from Adolescents Reference Center, Brazil. It was collected: socioeconomic and clinical data, laboratory and molecular samples. Results: The average age was 14.93 ± 2.18 years, 66.2 % were girls, 38.0 % had high levels of total cholesterol (TC) between 10–14 years Triceps (TSF) and subscapular skinfolds (SSF) measurements were inversely correlated with VAD. There was also an association between VAD, βcD and high triglyceride (TG) levels. Adolescents with the RR genotype presented a trend toward higher levels of body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), systolic blood pressure (SBP), TC, TG, low density lipoprotein (LDLC), leptin and low levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL-c). Conclusion: The girls had higher levels of leptin than boys. Abdominal fat, βcD and VED were observed in adolescents with VAD. Individuals with RR genotype have drawn attention to cardiovascular risk factors such as high rate of LDLC and reduced rate of HDLc. Thus, it is possible that individuals with this genotype may be more susceptible to the presence of cardiovascular risk factors.

Dietary β-Carotene Rescues Vitamin A Deficiency and Inhibits Atherogenesis in Apolipoprotein E-Deficient Mice

“…The association of VAD with cardiovascular risk factors has been studied in children, adolescents, and adults. Plasma vitamin A insufficiency was associated with obesity, lower levels of high density lipoprotein (HDL), hypertriglyceridemia and metabolic syndrome [ 6 , 7 , 8 ]. In children in low-income regions, VAD is a result of inadequate VA intake or low dietary fat, which leads to insufficient absorption of VA. Other risk factors for VAD in the general population, include chronic liver disease, inflammatory bowel disease, recurrent pancreatitis, excessive alcohol consumption, iron deficiency and bariatric surgery [ 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 ].…”

Candidate Gene and Genome-Wide Association Studies for Circulating Leptin Levels Reveal Population and Sex-Specific Associations in High Cardiovascular Risk Mediterranean Subjects

“…Just as with the leptin gene, several low-frequency variants have been reported in the LEPR gene that result in LEPR deficiency and are associated with severe early-onset obesity and hyperphagia [24,25]. Likewise, common polymorphisms in the LEPR gene have been less consistently associated with plasma leptin levels and obesity phenotypes, depending on the type of population analyzed [26,27,28,29]. In many studies, the polymorphisms in the LEP and LEPR genes are analyzed jointly [30,31,32,33,34].…”