Conjugated Bile Acids and Their Interactions With Abdominal Obesity for Increased Risk of Insulin Resistance in Chinese Childhood and Adolescence

Abstract Objective: This study aimed to explore associations of conjugated bile acids in childhood and adolescence with insulin resistance (IR), and whether high conjugated bile acids and abdominal obesity had interactive effects on the risk of IR. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 606 young individuals, aged 7 to18 years in Tianjin City, China. MS metabolomic analysis was used to measure conjugated bile acids levels. The Homeostasis Model Assessment was used to estimate insulin resistance. Waist circumference measurements were used to assess abdominal obesity. Logistic regression models were employed to explore the relationships between conjugated BAs and IR. Interactions between conjugated BAs and abdominal obesity for IR were examined using additive interaction measures. Results: Compared to their counterparts, six specific conjugated bile acids were significantly different in childhood and adolescence with IR. The high levels of serum GCA, TCA, GCDCA, TCDCA, GDCA, TDCA and GLCA were significantly associated with IR after adjustment (OR: 2.43(1.44-4.14), 0.65(0.40-0.72), 1.83 (1.10-3.09), 1.75 (1.04-2.95), 2.00(1.20-3.33) and 1.88 (1.14-3.11), respectively). The presence of abdominal obesity markedly increased the ORs of high GCA, GCDCA, GDCA and GLCA alone up to 11.31(5.11-25.07), 8.75(4.95-15.48), 8.56(3.19-13.50) and 7.85(4.13-11.38) for the risk of IR, with significant additive interaction. Conclusion: Serum GCA, GCDCA, TCDCA, GDCA and GLCA in childhood and adolescence were positively associated with the risk of IR, and serum TCA was negatively associated with the risk of IR. High levels of GDCA, GCDCA, GDCA and GLCA enhanced the risk association of abdominal obesity with IR.