Metabolically unhealthy and overweight phenotypes are associated with increased levels of inflammatory cytokines: a population-based study.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the association between cytokine levels in metabolic phenotypes. Our hypothesis was that an unhealthy metabolic profile is associated to higher levels of proinflammatory cytokines.

Methods: The study sample was composed of 743 Brazilian adults classified in four phenotypes: metabolically healthy normal weight (MHNW), metabolically unhealthy normal weight (MUNW), metabolically healthy overweight (MHOW), and metabolically unhealthy overweight (MUOW). Sociodemographic, anthropometric, clinical, and biochemical parameters were collected. Six different cytokines were analyzed from blood samples using the CBA Human Inflammatory cytokines kit and the values divided in quartiles for analysis. Logistic regression models were constructed to assess the association between metabolic phenotypes and cytokines concentrations, adjusted for potential confounders and P < 0.05 was used.

Results: The MUOW phenotype showed a higher risk for increased levels of all cytokines analyzed compared with the reference group (MHNW).

Conclusions: These results indicated that excess weight and altered metabolic profile are related to inflammation, especially when both conditions are associated, possibly linked to visceral adiposity. Therefore, the categorization of metabolic phenotypes in populations is an important factor for prevention of chronic diseases, as inflammation is associated with cardiovascular risk and obesity is not the only influencing factor.