The relationships between serum copper levels and overweight/total obesity and central obesity in children and adolescents aged 6-18 years

Wang Ge; Wenbo Liu; Guiyi Liu

doi:10.1016/j.jtemb.2020.126557

The relationships between serum copper levels and overweight/total obesity and central obesity in children and adolescents aged 6-18 years

J Trace Elem Med Biol. 2020 May 20:61:126557. doi: 10.1016/j.jtemb.2020.126557. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Wang Ge¹, Wenbo Liu², Guiyi Liu³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Family Planning Technical Service, Jining Maternal and Child Health Family Planning Service Center, No.12, Gongxiao Road, Rencheng District, Jining City, Shandong Province, 272000, China.
² Department of Laboratory, Jining Maternal and Child Health Family Planning Service Center, No.12, Gongxiao Road, Rencheng District, Jining City, Shandong Province, 272000, China.
³ Department of Family Planning Technical Service, Jining Maternal and Child Health Family Planning Service Center, No.12, Gongxiao Road, Rencheng District, Jining City, Shandong Province, 272000, China. Electronic address: fybjlgy@163.com.

PMID: 32480054
DOI: 10.1016/j.jtemb.2020.126557

Abstract

Objective: To explore the relationships between serum copper levels and overweight/total obesity and central obesity in children and adolescents.

Methods: We included 2,000 children and adolescents from the 2011-2016 US National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys. The multivariable linear model, logistic model and restricted cubic splines were adopted to assess the relationships. Models were adjusted for data release cycle, age, sex, race/ethnicity, ratio of family income to poverty, and dietary intakes of protein, total sugars, total fat, fiber, energy, calcium, vitamin D, vitamin C, and hours watch television or videos.

Results: The prevalences of overweight/total obesity and central obesity were 37.38% and 33.40%, respectively. For per-quintile increment in serum copper levels, body mass index increased by 1.06 (0.79-1.33) (kg/m²) and waist circumference increased by 2.43 (1.58-3.27) (cm). The odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) for overweight/total obesity and central obesity among participants with the highest quintile compared with those with the lowest quintile of serum copper levels were 5.46 (3.31-8.98) and 5.64 (3.31-9.58), respectively. The above-mentioned associations were not modified by age (children: 6-12 years, adolescents: 13-18 years) and sex. Dose-response analysis showed that the odds of overweight/total obesity and central obesity increased with increasing serum copper levels to a level of approximate 140 ug/dL where the association seemed to reach a plateau, respectively.

Conclusions: Serum copper levels were positively associated with body mass index and waist circumference, and elevated serum copper levels were associated with higher odds of overweight/total obesity and central obesity in children and adolescents.

Keywords: Children and adolescents; National Health; Nutrition Examination Survey; Obesity; Overweight; Serum copper.