Table 2.
Metabolomics studies focused on studying the differential response of obese and non-obese subjects to dietary challenges and weight loss
| Author | Population | Biospecimen (platform) | Intervention | Duration | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Differences in response to dietary intake challenges | |||||
| Badoud et al. (2015a, b) | 10 lean healthy adults ten MHO adults ten MUO adults | Plasma (CE–MS, GC–MS) | High-calorie meal (including two sausage egg english muffins, one apple turnover and 370 ml of concentrated orange juice, 1330 kcal) | Acute intervention (120 min) | AAs and FAs profile |
| Geidenstam et al. (2014) | 14 obese adults with impaired glucose tolerance | Serum (targeted GC–MS) | 0, 30 and 120 min during a standard 75 g OGTT | Acute intervention (120 min) | Differences in response to an OGTT between morbidly obese and lean individuals |
| Geidenstam et al. (2016) | 14 obese adults with impaired glucose tolerance | Serum (GC-TOF-MS) | 0, 30 and 120 min during a standard 75 g OGTT after weight loss and after weight maintenance. | Acute intervention (120 min) | Differences in response to an OGTT between morbidly obese and lean individuals |
| Baker et al. (2015) | 6 male non-obese adults six male obese adults | Skeletal muscle, plasma (targeted LC–MS/MS) | HFD in the 4 h postprandial condition | 5 days | Differences in response to HFD in AA, short-chain acylcarnitines |
| Bak et al. (2018) | 9 lean men nine obese men | Skeletal muscle (UHPLC/MS/MS) | Fasting | 12 and 72 h of fasting | To explore and compare substrate metabolism in skeletal muscle |
| Prediction of weight loss | |||||
| Geidenstam et al. (2017a) | 12 weight loss and weight maintenance cohort (WLWM) replication cohort of 83 obese adults | Plasma, serum (GC–MS) | (1) WLWM: Low-calorie diet (1200 kcal/day) for three monts; followed by a 6 months weight maintenance program (2) replication cohort: behavioral therapy and whenever possible proceeded by a prolonged period with a low-calorie diet | 9 months | Identify predictors of weight loss: Study and validate changes in metabolite levels associated with moderate weight loss |
| Geidenstam et al. (2017b) | 91 obese adults n = 58 > 10% weight loss n = 33 < 10% weight loss | Serum (GC–MS, LC–MS/MS) | (1) Weight loss program (classified according < or > 10% weight loss) | 1 year | Identify predictors of weight loss: study and validate changes in metabolite levels associated with moderate weight loss |
| Stroeve et al. (2016) | 667 overweight, obese, MO adults (431 women) | Plasma (targeted NMR, LC–MS) | (1) Low-calorie diet (800 kcal) | 8 weeks | Changes in metabolomics profile and predictive tool |
| Changes related to weight loss intervention | |||||
| Leal-Witt et al. (2018) | 34 obese prepubertal children (15 women) | Urine (NMR) | Lifestyle intervention program (following the Mediterranean diet and WHO recommendations + physical activity increment) | 6 months | To identify metabolic signatures associated with lifestyle intervention |
| Kang et al. (2018) | 97 overwight adults (70 women) | Plasma (UPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap MS) | (1) Low-calorie diet (2) control (weight maintenance diet) | 12 weeks | Changes in metabolomics profile |
| Palau-Rodriguez et al. (2019) | 27 MHO women | Plasma (UPLC-ESI-MS/MS) | (1) Hypocaloric Mediterranean diet and physical activity* | 12 months | To identify metabolic fingerprints and their associated pathways, according to level of weight loss: < 10% (LWL) and > 10% (HWL) |
| Mills et al. (2019) | 1158 obese pregnant women | Serum (NMR) | (1) Diet and physical activity intervention from UPBEAT (2) control (standard antenatal care) | During pregnancy and up to 6 months | Changes in metabolomics profile |
| Perez-Cornago et al. (2014) | 22 overweight and obese adults | Serum (GC–MS) | (1) Energy-restricted diet (−15% of daily energy requirements) | 8 weeks | Changes in FA and AA profiles |
| Almanza-Aguilera et al. (2018) | 57 MHO adult women | Plasma (H NMR) | (1) Lifestyle weight loss treatment group (hypocaloric Mediterranean diet and regular physical activity) (2) control group (general recommendations of a healthy diet and physical activity) | 3 months (intervention) and 12 months (follow-up) | Changes in metabolomics profile |
| Zheng et al. (2016a, b) | 38 overweight or obese adult women | Urine, plasma and faeces (NMR) | (1) Energy-restricted Intervention (500 kcal energy deficit/day) + low-dairy (2) energy-restricted intervention (500 kcal energy deficit/day) + high-dairy intake | 24 weeks | Changes in metabolomics profile |
| Zheng et al. (2016b) | POUNDS LOST study (526 adults) | Plasma (targeted EI–MS/MS) | Weight loss interventions | 6 months and 2 years | Long-term dietary intervention for weight loss affects circulating AA |
| Zheng et al. (2016b) | DIRECT study (211 overweight or obese adults) | Plasma (targeted EI-MS/MS) | (1) Low-fat, restricted-calorie diet (2) Mediterranean, restricted-calorie diet (3) low-carbohydrate, nonrestricted-calorie diet | 6 months and 2 years | Long-term dietary intervention for weight loss affects circulating AA |
| Changes related to weight loss through physical activity | |||||
| Munukka et al. (2018) | 17 overweight women | Plasma and faeces (NMR) | Endurance training (3 training sessions/week) | 6 weeks | Changes in the gut metagenome and systemic metabolites |
| Meucci et al. (2017) | 22 overweight preadolescents | Urine (GC-TOF-MS) | (1) 8-week exercise program (2) 4-week exercise program (3) control | 8 weeks | 8 weeks of activity as cause the greatest shift in the metabolites |
| Duft et al. (2017) | 22 obese adults’ subjects | Serum (H NMR) | (1) Control group (n = 11) (2) combined training (n = 11) | 24 weeks (3 times/week) | Changes in metabolism after 24 weeks of combined training |
AA amino acids, AEE activity energy expenditure, AUC area under the curve, CE capillary electrophoresis, EI electronic ionization, FA fatty acids, H NMR proton nuclear magnetic resonance, HWL high weight loss group, GC gas chromatography, LC liquid chromatography, LDL low-density cholesterol, LWL low weight loss, MetS metabolic syndrome, MHO metabolic healthy obese, MO morbidly obesity, MS mass spectrometry, MUO metabolically unhealthy obese, NMR nuclear magnetic resonance, OGTT oral glucose tolerance test, Q-TOF quadrupole-time of fligh, UPBEAT better eating and activity trial, UPLC ultra-performance liquid chromatography
*Based on a reduction of about 600 kcal in the energy intake with a calorie distribution as follows: 35–40% fats (8–10% saturated fatty acids), 40–45% carbohydrates and 20% protein + exercise (walking on average for 150 min every week)