Table 4. Comparison of serum choline and betaine levels in different obesity status defined by BMI and BF% in males1.
| Grouped according to BMI3 | Normal weight | Overweight | Obese | P5 |
| Non-medicated | 842 | 1422 | 932 | |
| Choline (μmol/L) | 13.21±2.69 | 12.99±3.05 | 12.44±2.82 | 0.043 |
| Betaine (μmol/L) | 40.46±12.88 | 36.66±9.64 | 32.74±8.12 | 0.000 |
| Medicated | 442 | 952 | 762 | |
| Choline (μmol/L) | 13.99±3.23 | 14.03±3.87 | 12.70±3.32 | 0.044 |
| Betaine (μmol/L) | 40.41±10.39 | 40.70±11.93 | 35.87±12.72 | 0.049 |
| Grouped according to BF4 | Normal weight | Overweight | Obese | P5 |
| Non-medicated | 892 | 852 | 1362 | |
| Choline (μmol/L) | 13.21±2.38 | 13.13±3.05 | 12.51±3.02 | 0.023 |
| Betaine (μmol/L) | 40.99±12.73 | 34.95±8.83 | 34.55±8.92 | 0.000 |
| Medicated | 512 | 692 | 912 | |
| Choline (μmol/L) | 13.88±3.31 | 13.67±3.48 | 13.31±3.89 | 0.721 |
| Betaine (μmol/L) | 41.25±10.22 | 39.51±12.28 | 37.24±13.02 | 0.284 |
1All values are mean ± SDs;
2 Sample size range in each study group;
3The following subdivision is used as normal-weight (18.5–24.9 kg/m2), overweight (25.0–29.9 kg/m2), obese class (≥30.0 kg/m2) according to criteria of the World Health Organization;
4Subgroup were created by percent of body fat according to the age and gender specific criteria recommended by Bray;
5Significant differences between intervention groups. Data were assessed with ANCOVA controlling for age, total caloric intake, physical activity. Statistical significance was set to P<0.05.