Comparing the metabolic signatures of obesity defined by waist circumference, waist-hip ratio, or BMI

Abstract

Objective: Measuring obesity is crucial for assessing health risks and developing effective prevention and treatment strategies. The most common methods used to measure obesity include BMI, waist circumference, and waist-hip ratio. This study aimed to determine the metabolic signatures associated with each measure of obesity in the Qatari population. Methods: Metabolomics profiling was conducted to identify, quantify, and characterize metabolites in serum samples from the study participants. Inverse rank normalization, principal component analysis, and orthogonal partial least square-discriminant analysis were used to analyze the metabolomics data. Results: This study revealed significant differences in metabolites associated with obesity based on different measurements. In men, phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine metabolites were significantly enriched in individuals classified as having obesity based on the waist-hip ratio. In women, significant changes were observed in leucine, isoleucine, and valine metabolism metabolites. Unique metabolites were found in the different categorization groups that could serve as biomarkers for assessing many obesity-related disorders. Conclusions: This study identified unique metabolic signatures associated with obesity based on different measurements in the Qatari population. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the molecular pathways involved in obesity and may have implications for developing personalized prevention and treatment strategies.