Adiponectin relates to smooth muscle function and folate in obese children

Adiponectin, an adipocyte-specific protein, stimulates nitric oxide production and may mediate associations between visceral obesity and vascular dysfunction. Adiponectin is lower in obese children but its relationship with vascular function has not been clarified in childhood. We aimed to evaluate the association between adiponectin and vascular function in obese and healthy children.

Forty-nine obese and thirty-three non-obese children (aged 13.4+/-2.8 years, 37 males) participated in a cross-sectional study. We measured adiponectin, vascular endothelial and smooth muscle function (Flow mediated dilatation [FMD] and glyceryl trinitrate induced dilatation [GTN]), serum folate, red cell folate (RCF), homocysteine, lipids, glucose and insulin. Because adiponectin related to RCF we examined the effect of folate supplementation on adiponectin levels in obese children in a previously conducted randomized folate intervention trial. This included two assessments prior to intervention and two post intervention.

Adiponectin, FMD and GTN were lower in obese compared with non-obese children (p = 0.002, p = 0.03 and p < 0.001, respectively). In obesity, adiponectin related to GTN (beta = 0.46, p < 0.001), RCF (beta = 0.4, p = 0.001) and LDL cholesterol (beta = 0.33, p = 0.004). Adiponectin associations were affected by gender and adiponectin related to female gender (B = 0.22, p = 0.03). During the intervention trial, folic acid did not improve adiponectin levels (p = 0.8) in spite of increasing serum folate and RCF (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, respectively) and decreasing homocysteine levels (p = 0.008).

Obese children have lower adiponectin, which relates to decreased smooth muscle function and lower folate status. Despite adiponectin relating to folate status, folic acid supplementation does not improve adiponectin in obese children.