Adiposity, serum lipid levels, and allergic sensitization in Chinese men and women.
BACKGROUND
Obesity and allergic diseases have increased dramatically in recent decades. Although adiposity has been associated with asthma, associations with allergic sensitization have been inconsistent.


OBJECTIVE
To examine the association of adiposity and lipid profiles with allergic sensitization.


METHODS
This study included 1187 rural Chinese twins (653 men) age 18 to 39 years, with skin prick tests, anthropometric and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry-assessed adiposity measures, and lipid assessments. Allergic sensitization was defined as positive SPT to >/=1 allergen (9 foods and 5 aeroallergens tested). We applied sex-stratified generalized estimating equations to assess the association of adiposity and serum lipids with allergic sensitization, and structural equation models to estimate the genetic/environmental influences on any observed associations.


RESULTS
Men had lower percent body fat (% BF) (13.9% vs. 28.8%) but higher rates of allergic sensitization (56.2% vs 36.7%) than women. Men in the highest %BF quartile were 2.1 times more likely to be sensitized than the lowest quartile (95% CI, 1.3-3.5; P trend = .003). In men, the risk of allergic sensitization increased with high-density lipoprotein (HDL) <40 mg/dL (odds ratio = 4.0; 95% CI, 1.8-9.2) and higher low-density lipoprotein quartiles (P trend = .007). This appeared to be partially explained by shared genetic factors between serum lipid levels and allergic sensitization. In females, lower HDL was associated with increased risk of allergic sensitization.


CONCLUSIONS
In this relatively lean Chinese population, higher %BF, lower HDL and higher LDL were associated with greater risk of allergic sensitization, most notable in men. The observed associations among adiposity, serum lipids, and allergic sensitization in men appear to be partially explained by common genetic influences on these traits.
Ouyang
Fengxiu
F
Mary Ann and J. Milburn Smith Child Health Research Program, Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and Children's Memorial Hospital and Children's Memorial Research Center, Chicago, IL, USA.
Kumar
Rajesh
R
Pongracic
Jacqueline
J
Story
Rachel E
RE
Liu
Xin
X
Wang
Binyan
B
Xing
Houxun
H
Liu
Xue
X
Li
Zhiping
Z
Zhang
Wenbin
W
Fang
Yaping
Y
Zhang
Shanchun
S
Xu
Xiping
X
Wang
Xiaobin
X
D050154:Adiposity; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001823:Body Composition; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000209:etiology*; D016014:Linear Models; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
D008055:Lipids; D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; D014280:Triglycerides