Table 1.
Comparison of Biochemical Marker Reference Values Between Adiposity Groups Based on Body Mass Index z-score
| Analyte | Sex | Normal Weight | Overweight | Obese | Overweight/Obese Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albumin (g/L) | B | 42 (5) | 41 (6) | 41 (5) | 41 (5) |
| F | 42 (5) | 41 (5) | 40 (7) | 41 (5) | |
| M | 42 (5) | 42 (5) | 41 (5) | 42 (5) | |
| ALPa (U/L) | B | 211 ± 106 | 203 ± 112 | 226 ± 101 | 211 ± 108 |
| F | 187 ± 96 | 183 ± 99 | 200 ± 102 | 188 ± 100 | |
| M | 235 ± 111 | 226 ± 121 | 247 ± 96 | 234 ± 112 | |
| ALTa (U/L) | B | 16 ± 6b | 17 ± 6b | 21 ± 10c | 18 ± 8d |
| F | 16 ± 7 | 16 ± 5 | 17 ± 5 | 16 ± 5 | |
| M | 17 ± 6b | 18 ± 6b | 23 ± 13c | 20 ± 9d | |
| Amylase (U/L) | B | 55 (28) | 53 (32) | 49 (28) | 52 (30) |
| F | 56 (26) | 54 (31) | 51 (23) | 54 (30) | |
| M | 54 (30) | 52 (32) | 48 (29) | 51 (29) | |
| ApoA1 (g/L) | B | 1.17 (0.35) | 1.16 (0.34) | 1.11 (0.28) | 1.14 (0.34) |
| F | 1.18 (0.33) | 1.18 (0.34) | 1.06 (0.40) | 1.15 (0.36) | |
| M | 1.13 (0.35) | 1.14 (0.35) | 1.13 (0.21) | 1.14 (0.31) | |
| ApoB (g/L) | B | 0.52 ± 0.15b | 0.56 ± 0.16c | 0.58 ± 0.17c | 0.57 ± 0.17d |
| F | 0.53 ± 0.16 | 0.58 ± 0.17 | 0.56 ± 0.16 | 0.57 ± 0.17d | |
| M | 0.51 ± 0.14b | 0.54 ± 0.16b | 0.60 ± 0.17c | 0.56 ± 0.17d | |
| ASO (IU/mL) | B | 55 (162) | 49 (153) | 49 (149) | 49 (153) |
| F | 50 (174) | 49 (152) | 49 (103) | 49 (134) | |
| M | 58 (148) | 51 (154) | 49 (159) | 49 (156) | |
| AST (U/L) | B | 24 (11) | 24 (11) | 25 (13) | 24 (12) |
| F | 23 (10) | 23 (12) | 23 (12) | 23 (11) | |
| M | 26 (13) | 24 (11) | 25 (17) | 24 (11) | |
| Bilirubin (direct) (μmol/L) | B | 3.6 (3.0) | 3.6 (3.4) | 3.1 (2.8) | 3.4 (3.0) |
| F | 3.4 (2.9) | 3.2 (2.8) | 3.2 (2.9) | 3.2 (2.8) | |
| M | 3.8 (3.3) | 4.0 (3.9) | 3.1 (2.5) | 3.7 (3.8) | |
| Bilirubin (total) (μmol/L) | B | 6.2 (5.4) | 6.3 (5.3) | 5.4 (5.4) | 6.1 (5.3) |
| F | 6.0 (4.7) | 5.9 (4.2) | 5.4 (5.3) | 5.5 (4.6) | |
| M | 6.7 (5.7) | 6.8 (6.6) | 5.5 (5.5) | 6.7 (6.1) | |
| C3 (g/L) | B | 1.10 (0.23)b | 1.23 (0.22)c | 1.39 (0.29)e | 1.28 (0.28)d |
| F | 1.11 (0.24)b | 1.24 (0.23)c | 1.34 (0.26)e | 1.27 (0.24)d | |
| M | 1.09 (0.23)b | 1.20 (0.24)c | 1.41 (0.28)e | 1.29 (0.30)d | |
| C4a (g/L) | B | 0.22 ± 0.07b | 0.24 ± 0.07c | 0.27 ± 0.09e | 0.25 ± 0.08d |
| F | 0.23 ± 0.07b | 0.24 ± 0.07b,c | 0.27 ± 0.09c | 0.25 ± 0.08 | |
| M | 0.22 ± 0.06b | 0.23 ± 0.07b | 0.27 ± 0.09c | 0.25 ± 0.08d | |
| Calcium (mmol/L) | B | 2.45 (0.13) | 2.44 (0.14) | 2.44 (0.11) | 2.44 (0.13) |
| F | 2.44 (0.13) | 2.44 (0.13) | 2.43 (0.13) | 2.43 (0.14) | |
| M | 2.45 (0.13) | 2.45 (0.12) | 2.46 (0.11) | 2.45 (0.12) | |
| ChE (U/L) | B | 10 807 (2425)b | 11 380 (2445)c | 12 828 (3007)e | 11 720 (2760)d |
| F | 10 518 (2491)b | 11 211 (2070)c | 12 376 (2584)c | 11 391 (2451)d | |
| M | 11 027 (2457)b | 11 473 (2879)b | 13 346 (2927)c | 11 871 (2991)d | |
| Cholesterol (mmol/L) | B | 3.75 ± 1.03 | 3.79 ± 1.10 | 3.77 ± 1.11 | 3.79 ± 1.10 |
| F | 3.83 ± 1.01 | 4.03 ± 1.02 | 3.78 ± 0.98 | 3.96 ± 1.01 | |
| M | 3.66 ± 1.05 | 3.55 ± 1.12 | 3.76 ± 1.20 | 3.63 ± 1.15 | |
| CO2 (mmol/L) | B | 22 (3) | 21 (4) | 22 (2) | 22 (4) |
| F | 22 (3) | 21 (3) | 22 (3) | 21 (3) | |
| M | 22 (4) | 22 (5) | 22 (2) | 22 (4) | |
| Creatinine (enzymatic)a (μmol/L) | B | 55 ± 15 | 55 ± 14 | 53 ± 14 | 54 ± 14 |
| F | 51 ± 12 | 50 ± 12 | 52 ± 12 | 51 ± 12 | |
| M | 58 ± 18 | 60 ± 15 | 54 ± 15 | 58 ± 15 | |
| hsCRP (mg/L) | B | 0.3 (0.8)b | 0.6 (1.0)c | 1.6 (3.4)e | 0.8 (1.8)d |
| F | 0.4 (0.9)b | 0.6 (1.0)c | 2.1 (4.2)e | 0.7 (1.3)d | |
| M | 0.3 (0.7)b | 0.6 (1.2)c | 1.5 (2.8)e | 0.9 (2.2)d | |
| GGT (U/L) | B | 13 (5)b | 14 (7)c | 15 (10)c | 14 (8)d |
| F | 12 (6) | 13 (5) | 14 (5) | 13 (5) | |
| M | 14 (6)b | 16 (9)c | 17 (11)c | 16 (11)d | |
| Haptoglobin (g/L) | B | 0.68 ± 0.47b | 0.79 ± 0.46c | 1.04 ± 0.57e | 0.88 ± 0.51d |
| F | 0.72 ± 0.48b | 0.88 ± 0.41c | 1.19 ± 0.57e | 0.97 ± 0.48d | |
| M | 0.63 ± 0.44b | 0.71 ± 0.49b | 0.95 ± 0.55c | 0.80 ± 0.53d | |
| HDL-C (mmol/L) | B | 1.28 ± 0.35b | 1.23 ± 0.32b | 1.10 ± 0.26c | 1.18 ± 0.31d |
| F | 1.30 ± 0.35 | 1.27 ± 0.34 | 1.15 ± 0.24 | 1.23 ± 0.32 | |
| M | 1.26 ± 0.35b | 1.18 ± 0.30b | 1.07 ± 0.27c | 1.14 ± 0.29d | |
| Iron (μmol/L) | B | 15.1 ± 6.1b | 14.9 ± 6.7b | 12.5 ± 6.1c | 14.1 ± 6.6 |
| F | 14.6 ± 5.8b | 14.4 ± 6.8b | 11.4 ± 5.6c | 13.5 ± 6.6 | |
| M | 15.6 ± 6.3 | 15.6 ± 6.5 | 13.4 ± 6.4 | 14.7 ± 6.5 | |
| IgA (g/L) | B | 1.23 (0.79) | 1.23 (0.79) | 1.35 (0.75) | 1.25 (0.79) |
| F | 1.18 (0.79) | 1.23 (0.60) | 1.43 (0.69) | 1.28 (0.67) | |
| M | 1.28 (0.78) | 1.23 (0.91) | 1.28 (0.87) | 1.24 (0.90) | |
| IgG (g/L) | B | 10.4 ± 2.5 | 10.5 ± 2.6 | 10.3 ± 2.5 | 10.5 ± 2.5 |
| F | 10.7 ± 2.4 | 10.7 ± 2.5 | 10.9 ± 2.5 | 10.7 ± 2.5 | |
| M | 10.2 ± 2.5 | 10.4 ± 2.6 | 9.9 ± 2.4 | 10.2 ± 2.5 | |
| IgM (g/L) | B | 1.0 ± 0.4 | 1.0 ± 0.4 | 1.0 ± 0.4 | 1.0 ± 0.4 |
| F | 1.2 ± 0.5 | 1.1 ± 0.4 | 1.1 ± 0.3 | 1.1 ± 0.4 | |
| M | 0.9 ± 0.4 | 0.9 ± 0.3 | 0.9 ± 0.4 | 0.9 ± 0.4 | |
| LDH (U/L) | B | 226 (89) | 226 (81) | 244 (82) | 234 (84) |
| F | 218 (92) | 216 (83) | 218 (85) | 216 (84) | |
| M | 232 (79) | 236 (78) | 248 (83) | 241 (77) | |
| Lipasea (U/L) | B | 22 ± 12 | 22 ± 10 | 20 ± 9 | 21 ± 10 |
| F | 23 ± 12 | 23 ± 10 | 23 ± 9 | 23 ± 10 | |
| M | 21 ± 12 | 20 ± 10 | 18 ± 7 | 19 ± 9 | |
| Magnesium (mmol/L) | B | 1.01 (0.12) | 1.00 (0.11) | 0.99 (0.11) | 1.00 (0.11) |
| F | 1.01 (0.10) | 1.01 (0.12) | 0.97 (0.11) | 0.99 (0.12) | |
| M | 1.01 (0.12) | 0.99 (0.11) | 1.02 (0.11) | 1.00 (0.12) | |
| Phosphorus (mmol/L) | B | 1.57 (0.43) | 1.56 (0.48) | 1.59 (0.45) | 1.56 (0.47) |
| F | 1.52 (0.41) | 1.56 (0.46) | 1.52 (0.36) | 1.54 (0.43) | |
| M | 1.62 (0.44) | 1.56 (0.45) | 1.66 (0.42) | 1.59 (0.44) | |
| Prealbumin (g/L) | B | 0.21 (0.06) | 0.22 (0.06) | 0.21 (0.07) | 0.22 (0.07) |
| F | 0.21 (0.06) | 0.22 (0.06) | 0.21 (0.07) | 0.22 (0.07) | |
| M | 0.22 (0.08) | 0.22 (0.07) | 0.21 (0.07) | 0.22 (0.07) | |
| Total protein (g/L) | B | 72 (6) | 72 (6) | 72 (5) | 72 (5) |
| F | 72 (6) | 73 (6) | 73 (6) | 73 (6) | |
| M | 72 (6) | 72 (6) | 72 (5) | 72 (5) | |
| Transferrin (g/L) | B | 2.66 (0.43)b | 2.76 (0.49)c | 2.75 (0.51)c | 2.76 (0.50)d |
| F | 2.66 (0.48)b | 2.79 (0.52)c | 2.71 (0.51)b,c | 2.77 (0.48)d | |
| M | 2.66 (0.41) | 2.75 (0.45) | 2.76 (0.49) | 2.76 (0.46)d | |
| Triglyceridesa (mmol/L) | B | 1.23 ± 0.60b | 1.42 ± 0.77c | 1.67 ± 0.77e | 1.51 ± 0.80d |
| F | 1.23 ± 0.54b | 1.45 ± 0.86c | 1.56 ± 0.69c | 1.48 ± 0.81d | |
| M | 1.23 ± 0.66b | 1.39 ± 0.68c | 1.74 ± 0.82e | 1.53 ± 0.75d | |
| Urea (mmol/L) | B | 4.7 (1.9) | 4.7 (1.7) | 4.9 (1.5) | 4.7 (1.6) |
| F | 4.4 (1.8) | 4.4 (1.6) | 4.4 (1.5) | 4.4 (1.6) | |
| M | 5.1 (1.9) | 4.9 (1.8) | 5.1 (1.4) | 5.0 (1.7) | |
| Uric acid (μmol/L) | B | 237 (128)b | 261 (121)c | 270 (127)c | 266 (122)d |
| F | 219 (101)b | 248 (76)c | 263 (94)c | 251 (86)d | |
| M | 269 (151) | 309 (141) | 279 (135) | 297 (141)d |
Analytes indicated as mean ± SD were compared between NW, OW, and OB using ANOVA and Tukey post hoc test and were compared between NW and OW/OB using independent samples t test. Analytes indicated as median (interquartile ratio) were compared between NW, OW, and OB using Kruskall-Wallis and Dunn’s post hoc tests and were compared between NW and OW/OB using Mann-Whitney U test. The Benjamini-Hochberg procedure was applied to control for false discovery rate.
B, both sexes; F, female; M, male; NW, normal weight; OB, obese; OW, overweight.
a These variables were log-transformed prior to analysis, although raw values are reported.
b,c,e Values with different letters are significantly different.
d Indicates OW/OB significantly different than NW.