Metals and trace elements in relation to body mass index in a prospective study of US women

Environ Res. 2020 May:184:109396. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.109396. Epub 2020 Mar 16.

Abstract

Background: Epidemiologic studies on the association between metals and body mass index (BMI) have been cross-sectional and have demonstrated inconsistent associations. Our study prospectively examined whether metals measured at baseline were associated with later BMI. We considered metals individually and as joint exposure to pre-defined metal groupings.

Methods: We measured concentrations of 16 metals in toenails collected at baseline (2003-2009) in a subset of 1221 women from the Sister Study. We calculated BMI from height and weight reported on a follow-up questionnaire an average of 5.2 years (range = 3.5-8.3) after baseline. Multivariable linear regression was used to estimate β coefficients and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for associations between BMI and individual metals (with estimates given per interquartile range (IQR) increase or in quartiles). Quantile g-computation was used to examine joint associations between groups of metals and BMI. Groups considered were (1) all metals combined, and metals classified as (2) non-essential or (3) essential.

Results: In individual metal models we found that, with the exception of cobalt, no single metal was strongly related to BMI. In our mixture analyses, a quartile increase in all non-essential metals was associated with higher BMI (β = 0.32; 95%CI: 0.00, 0.63 kg/m2), whereas essential metals were suggestively associated with lower BMI (β = -0.25; 95%CI: 0.58, 0.07 kg/m2).

Conclusions: In this population of women who were, on average, overweight, essential metals were jointly associated with slightly healthier, lower BMI whereas non-essential metals were jointly associated with slightly higher, unhealthier BMI, after controlling for other health indicators and predictors of metals exposures.

Keywords: Body mass index; Metals; Mixtures; Obesity; Trace elements.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural

MeSH terms

  • Body Mass Index
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Metals
  • Prospective Studies
  • Risk Factors
  • Trace Elements*

Substances

  • Metals
  • Trace Elements