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Clinical Studies and Practice

Interplay of atherogenic factors, protein intake and betatrophin levels in obese–metabolic syndrome patients treated with hypocaloric diets

International Journal of Obesity volume 40, pages 403–410 (2016)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Context:

The understanding of the potential role of betatrophin in human metabolic disorders is a current challenge.

Objective:

The present research evaluated circulating betatrophin levels in obese patients with metabolic syndrome (MetSyn) features under energy-restricted weight-loss programs and in normal weight in order to establish the putative interplay between the levels of this hormone, diet and metabolic risk factors linked to obesity and associated comorbidities.

Subjects and Methods:

One hundred forty-three participants were enrolled in the study (95 obese–MetSyn; age 49.5±9.4 years; body mass index (BMI) 35.7±4.5 kg m–2 and 48 normal weight; age 35.71±8.8 years; BMI 22.9±2.2 kg m–2). A nutritional therapy consisting in two hypocaloric strategies (control diet based on the AHA recommendations and the RESMENA (MEtabolic Syndrome REduction in Navarra) diet, a novel dietary program with changes in the macronutrient distribution) was only prescribed to obese–MetSyn participants who were randomly allocated to the dietary strategies. Dietary records, anthropometrical and biochemical variables as well as betatrophin levels were analyzed before (pre-intervention, week 0), at 8 weeks (post-intervention, week 8) and after 4 additional months of self-control period (follow-up, week 24).

Results:

Betatrophin levels were higher in obese–MetSyn patients than normal-weight subjects (1.24±0.43 vs 0.97±0.69 ng ml–1, respectively, P=0.012), and levels were positively associated with body composition, metabolic parameters, leptin and irisin in all participants at baseline. Notably, low pre-intervention (week 0) betatrophin levels in obese patients were significantly associated with higher dietary-induced changes in atherogenic risk factors after 8 weeks. Moreover, protein intake, especially proteins from animal sources, was an independent determinant of betatrophin levels after dietary treatment (B=–0.27; P=0.012).

Conclusions:

Betatrophin is elevated in obese patients with MetSyn features and is associated with poorer nutritional outcomes of adiposity and dyslipidemia traits after a weight-loss program. Dietary protein intake could be a relevant modulator of betatrophin secretion and activity.

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Acknowledgements

We thank all the subjects who participated in this study and the research group implicated in the RESMENA project, especially the people who performed the field work (R de la Iglesia, P Lopez-Legarrea, S Perez and BE Martinez de Morentin). This work was supported by grants from the Fondo de Investigacion Sanitaria, INTRASALUD programme (PI10/02464), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), and the Health Department of the Government of Navarra (48/2009) and Xunta de Galicia, Spain and Linea Especial 'Nutrition, Obesity and Health' (University of Navarra LE/97). CIBERobn is an initiative of the ISCIII, Spain.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria (IDIS), Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago (CHUS) and Santiago de Compostela University (USC), Santiago de Compostela, Spain

    A B Crujeiras, M Amil, M C Carreira & F F Casanueva

  2. CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y la Nutrición (CIBERobn), Madrid, Spain

    A B Crujeiras, M A Zulet, I Abete, M Amil, M C Carreira, J A Martínez & F F Casanueva

  3. Department of Nutrition, Food Sciences and Physiology, University of Navarra (UNAV), Pamplona, Spain

    M A Zulet, I Abete & J A Martínez

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  1. A B Crujeiras
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Correspondence to A B Crujeiras or J A Martínez.

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Crujeiras, A., Zulet, M., Abete, I. et al. Interplay of atherogenic factors, protein intake and betatrophin levels in obese–metabolic syndrome patients treated with hypocaloric diets. Int J Obes 40, 403–410 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/ijo.2015.206

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