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Nutrition Epidemiology Highlights Original Article

Association of adulthood weight gain with circulating adipokine and insulin resistance in the Japanese population

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 69, pages 462–466 (2015)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Background/Objectives:

Although adipokines and insulin resistance are known to be correlated with body fatness, it is unclear whether they are independently related to weight gain experience. We examined the associations of serum adipokines and marker of insulin resistance with past weight gain during adulthood by taking the degree of attained body mass index (BMI) level into consideration.

Subjects/Methods:

Subjects were 399 Japanese municipal employees, aged ⩾30 years, who participated in a health survey. Serum adipokines were measured using a Luminex suspension bead-based multiplexed array. Weight change during adulthood was calculated as the difference between measured current weight and recalled weight at the age of 20 years. Multiple regression was performed to calculate mean adipokine levels and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) according to weight gain (<5 kg, 5–9.9 kg, or ⩾10 kg) with adjustment for current BMI.

Results:

Weight gain from the age of 20 years was significantly and positively associated with leptin levels even after adjustment for current BMI (P for trend <0.001), whereas it was significantly and inversely associated with adiponectin levels in a BMI-adjusted model among subjects aged ⩾40 years (P for trend=0.03). Weight gain was associated with HOMA-IR in a BMI-unadjusted model (P for trend <0.001), but this association was largely attenuated after adjustment for BMI. Resistin, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 and visfatin were not associated with past weight gain.

Conclusions:

Results suggest that a large weight gain during adulthood is associated with higher leptin and lower adiponectin levels independently of the degree of attained BMI level.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to the study participants for their cooperation and participation. We also thank Seiko Miyazaki and Yasutaka Horiuchi (Kyushu University); Emi Tanaka, Youko Tsuruda, Misaki Hirose, Meishu Sai, Miho Isayama, Midori Sasaki, Mie Shimomura and Azumi Uehara (Fukuoka Women’s University); Yaeko Nagano (retired nurse); and Akiko Hayashi, Yu Teruyama, Kae Saito, Kayoko Washizuka and Yuho Mizoue (National Center for Global Health and Medicine) for their help in data collection. We extend our thanks to Kazuko Nagase and Dai Suzuki (National Center for Global Health and Medicine) for their contributions to measurements of serum adipokines. This study was supported by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B) (21390213) from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (To Dr Mizoue), a Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B) (21790598) from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology and a Grant of National Center for Global Health and Medicine (To Dr Nanri), a grant from National Center for Global Health and Medicine and a grant from National Institute of Biomedical Innovation (To Dr Yasuda).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nutrition and Life Science, Faculty of Life Science and Biotechnology, Fukuyama University, Hiroshima, Japan

    Y Kimura

  2. Department of Epidemiology and Prevention, Center for Clinical Sciences, National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo, Japan

    N M Pham, A Nanri, K Kurotani, K Kuwahara, S Akter & T Mizoue

  3. Department of Metabolic Disorder, Diabetes Research Center, National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo, Japan

    K Yasuda

  4. Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Bioresource and Bioenvironmental Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan

    M Sato

  5. Graduate School of Nutrition and Health Science, Fukuoka Women's University, Fukuoka, Japan

    H Hayabuchi

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  1. Y Kimura
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Correspondence to Y Kimura.

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Kimura, Y., Pham, N., Yasuda, K. et al. Association of adulthood weight gain with circulating adipokine and insulin resistance in the Japanese population. Eur J Clin Nutr 69, 462–466 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2014.257

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