Obesity and C-reactive Protein Levels Among White, Black, and Hispanic US Adults

Abstract

Objective-Studies suggest that obesity's adverse impact on cardiovascular mortality may be reduced in African Americans relative to white Americans. We examined whether obesity's association with novel cardiovascular risk factors such as C-reactive protein (CRP) also varies by race and ethnicity.Methods and Procedures-We analyzed data from 10,492 white, African-American, and Hispanic-American participants of the 1999-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, who were aged 20 years and older, with a BMI ≥18.5 kg/m 2 and CRP ≤10 mg/l. We fit sexspecific multivariable models of the association of BMI or waist circumference with log CRP levels and tested for interactions of BMI or waist circumference with race/ethnicity.Results-Higher BMI was significantly associated with higher CRP in all racial/ethnic groups for both men and women (P > 0.05 for BMI-race/ethnicity interaction) before and after adjustment for age, education, and health behaviors. Larger waist circumference was also associated with higher CRP levels in all racial/ethnic groups before and after adjustment; among women, the relationship was strongest for Mexican Hispanics (P < 0.01 for waist circumference-race/ethnicity interaction). Results were similar after additional adjustment for medications that might affect CRP levels.

Common variants in the CRP gene are associated with serum C-reactive protein levels and body mass index in healthy individuals in Mexico

“…Increased serum CRP levels have been reported in subjects with obesity, metabolic syndrome, and type 2 diabetes (T2D), indicating that these individuals present a state of subclinical, low-grade inflammation that promotes the development of atherosclerosis mediated by a process of endothelial dysfunction, increasing the risk of ischemic heart disease (Wee et al, 2008;Hu et al, 2009). Serum CRP levels vary widely among individuals and, in the absence of disease, are influenced by socio-demographic factors, lifestyle, and significantly, gender, and obesity (Flores-Alfaro et al, 2008;Wee et al, 2008;Tsai and Tsai, 2010).…”

“…Serum CRP levels vary widely among individuals and, in the absence of disease, are influenced by socio-demographic factors, lifestyle, and significantly, gender, and obesity (Flores-Alfaro et al, 2008;Wee et al, 2008;Tsai and Tsai, 2010). It has been shown that variation in CRP influences the concentration of protein (Carlson et al, 2005).…”

“…Elevated blood levels of CRP have been associated with atherosclerosis (Momiyama et al, 2010), unstable angina (Rizzello et al, 2007), diabetes (Shankar and Li, 2008), metabolic syndrome (Lai et al, 2010), insulin resistance (Gelaye et al, 2010), and obesity (Wee et al, 2008). Prospective studies have shown that increased blood CRP levels are associated with a greater risk of ischemic heart and cerebrovascular diseases (Sabatine et al, 2007;Oudi et al, 2010).…”

Vitamin A supplementation reduces the Th17-Treg – Related cytokines in obese and non-obese women

“…A large body of evidence suggests that many of these obesity associated co-morbidities have a long term low grade inflammatory basis (3). Among inflammatory biomarkers, the role of classic inflammatory mediators including tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and C-reactive protein (CRP) have been extensively investigated in obesity (4,5). However, recent studies have revealed the possible role of Th17-T cell sub-lineage in obesity associated metabolic and autoimmune disorders.…”

Body Mass Index as a Measure of Obesity: Racial Differences in Predictive Value for Health Parameters During Pregnancy

“…33 However, another study reports no difference in the association between BMI and CRP among European Americans versus African Americans. 34 A better understanding of racial differences in relationships among BMI and inflammation may advance understanding of racial differences in the predictive value of BMI for various conditions, including outcomes unique to pregnancy.…”