Personalized Cardio‐Metabolic Responses to an Anti‐Inflammatory Nutrition Intervention in Obese Adolescents: A Randomized Controlled Crossover Trial

Abstract

ScopeChronic inflammation and hypoadiponectinemia are characteristics of obesity‐induced insulin resistance (IR). The effect of an anti‐inflammatory nutrition supplement (AINS) on IR and adiponectin biology in overweight adolescents was investigated. The secondary objective was to examine the extent to which individuals’ biomarker profiles, derived from baseline phenotypes, predicted response or not to the AINS. Additionally, the impact of DNA methylation on intervention efficacy was assessed.Methods and resultsSeventy overweight adolescents (13–18 years) were recruited to this randomized controlled crossover trial. Participants received an AINS (long chain n‐3 PUFA, vitamin C, α‐tocopherol, green tea extract, and lycopene) and placebo for 8 weeks each. Homeostatic model assessment (HOMA)‐IR, adiponectin, inflammatory profiles, and DNA methylation were assessed. HOMA‐IR was unchanged in the total cohort. High‐molecular‐weight (HMW) adiponectin was maintained following the AINS while it decreased over time following the placebo intervention. HOMA‐IR decreased in 40% of subjects (responders) following the AINS. Responders’ pretreatment phenotype was characterized by higher HOMA‐IR, total and LDL cholesterol, but similar BMI in comparison to nonresponders. HMW adiponectin response to the AINS was associated with bidirectional modulation of adipogenic gene methylation.ConclusionThe AINS modulated adiponectin biology, an early predictor of type 2 diabetes risk, was associated with bidirectional modulation of adipogenic gene methylation in weight‐stable overweight adolescents. HOMA‐IR decreased in a sub‐cohort of adolescents with an adverse metabolic phenotype. Thus, suggesting that more stratified or personalized nutrition approaches may enhance efficacy of dietary interventions.

Inflammation and metabolism: the role of adiposity in sarcopenic obesity

“…Inflammation and metabolism 441 supplementation interventions. It will be interesting to understand if the paradigm of response heterogeneity, which seems to be present in obesity and IR (171,189) , is also present in sarcopenic obesity.…”

Dietary Strategies for Weight Loss Maintenance

“…Although there is some evidence for beneficial effects of polyphenols on body weight gain in experimental animals, the effects on body weight in humans remain to be determined [39,41,42]. A combination of omega3 fatty acids and polyphenols did not affect body weight in healthy adolescents [43], but this has not been tested in the context of weight (re)gain.…”

An overview about DNA methylation in childhood obesity: Characteristics of the studies and main findings

“…Several studies have demonstrated that lean individuals display higher levels of this adipokine when compared with children and adults with obesity . In addition, adiponectin levels, especially those of high‐molecular‐weight (HMW) form, may have a direct relationship with methylation levels of several genes, as it was observed in overweight and obese adolescents . García‐Cardona et al showed, in peripheral blood, that methylation at the position chr3:186,560,391 (nucleotide −74 from the transcription start site) of the ADIPOQ gene was strongly related to the levels of its protein in both children with normal weight and obesity, as well as to anthropometric and metabolic parameters.…”