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Clinical Research

Growth differentiating factor-15 and adiposity in young adults: The African-PREDICT study

International Journal of Obesity volume 45, pages 1418–1427 (2021)Cite this article

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A Correction to this article was published on 10 May 2022

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Abstract

Background and aims

Circulating growth differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15) is a stress-responsive cytokine that increases in older individuals with established cardiovascular disease (CVD) and obesity. To address potential targets in primary prevention, we aimed to determine whether body weight, waist circumference, waist/height ratio, body mass index (BMI), body surface area (BSA) and leptin associate with GDF-15 in young underweight, lean and overweight/obese (ow/ob) adults.

Methods and results

We included 1189 adults aged 20–30 years. We grouped participants as underweight (BMI ≤ 18 kg/m2, n = 59), lean (BMI > 18 kg/m2 and ≤25 kg/m2; n = 616) or ow/ob (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2; n = 514) and determined serum GDF-15 and leptin levels. Body composition measurements, leptin and blood pressure readings were higher in the ow/ob group compared to the underweight and lean groups (all p < 0.0001). GDF-15 was higher in the underweight group compared to the lean and combined ow/ob groups (p = 0.041), and higher in obese (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) compared to overweight (p = 0.002) individuals. In multiple regression analysis, we found positive associations (all p ≤ 0.020) of body weight (adj. R2 = 0.398; β = 0.11), waist circumference (adj. R2 = 0.271; β = 0.11), waist/height ratio (adj. R2 = 0.168; β = 0.14), BMI (adj. R2 = 0.263; β = 0.14), BSA (adj. R2 = 0.508; β = 0.083) and leptin (adj. R2 = 0.622; β = 0.10) with GDF-15 in the ow/ob group. However, waist circumference (adj. R2 = 0.536; β = –0.45), waist/height ratio (adj. R2 = 0.471; β = –0.51) and leptin (adj. R2 = 434; β = –0.25) associated inversely with GDF-15 in the underweight group (all p < 0.050).

Conclusion

Our findings may suggest that in young adults with either underweight or excess adiposity, increased GDF-15 levels may contribute to the development of future cardiovascular health risks associated with pro-inflammation.

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Fig. 1: Comparison of GDF-15 levels in underweight, lean, overweight and obese groups.
Fig. 2: Standardized beta coefficients by backward stepwise multiple regression analyses of markers of body composition and adiposity with GDF-15 in the underweight and overweight/obese groups.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful towards all individuals that participated voluntarily in the study. The dedication of the support and research staff as well as students at the Hypertension Research and Training Clinic at the North West University are also duly acknowledged.

Funding

The research funded in this manuscript is part of an ongoing research project financially supported by the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) with funds from National Treasury under its Economic Competitiveness and Support Package; the South African Research Chairs Initiative (SARChI) of the Department of Science and Technology and National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa (GUN 86895); SAMRC with funds received from the South African National Department of Health, GlaxoSmithKline R&D (Africa Non-Communicable Disease Open Lab grant), the UK Medical Research Council and with funds from the UK Government’s Newton Fund; as well as corporate social investment grants from Pfizer (South Africa), Boehringer-Ingelheim (South Africa), Novartis (South Africa), the Medi Clinic Hospital Group (South Africa) and in kind contributions of Roche Diagnostics (South Africa). The views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of the SA MRC. Any opinion, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors, and therefore, the NRF does not accept any liability in this regard. None of the funding bodies contributed to the conceptualization, data collection or writing of this article.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Hypertension in Africa Research Team (HART), North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa

    Bridget Vermeulen, Lebo F. Gafane-Matemane, Aletta E. Schutte & Ruan Kruger

  2. MRC Research Unit for Hypertension and Cardiovascular Disease, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa

    Lebo F. Gafane-Matemane, Aletta E. Schutte & Ruan Kruger

  3. School of Population Health, University of New South Wales; The George Institute for Global Health, Sydney, NSW, Australia

    Aletta E. Schutte

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  1. Bridget Vermeulen
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Correspondence to Ruan Kruger.

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Vermeulen, B., Gafane-Matemane, L.F., Schutte, A.E. et al. Growth differentiating factor-15 and adiposity in young adults: The African-PREDICT study. Int J Obes 45, 1418–1427 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41366-021-00803-8

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