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A Carbohydrate Beverage Reduces Monocytes Expressing TLR4 in Children with Overweight or Obesity
Grace M Niemiro1,2, Nathan A Chiarlitti3,4, Naiman A Khan1
1Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.
Insights
High-carbohydrate beverages significantly reduced inflammatory monocyte markers in overweight/obese children, impacting glucose metabolism. These findings suggest dietary modifications may benefit children with overweight/obesity.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Endocrinology
- Immunology
- Nutrition Science
Background:
- Childhood obesity affects one-third of children, leading to chronic inflammation and cardiometabolic risks.
- Inflammatory monocytes, particularly Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4+) expressing cells, are implicated in obesity-associated morbidities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of different macronutrient beverages on monocyte populations in healthy weight (HW) and overweight/obese (OW/OB) children.
- To assess metabolic and inflammatory responses to high-carbohydrate versus high-protein/fat beverages.
Main Methods:
- A double-blinded, randomized crossover study involving 10 HW and 7 OW/OB children.
- Participants consumed either a high-carbohydrate (CHO) or a whole-egg high-protein/fat (EGG) beverage.
- Blood samples were analyzed pre- and post-consumption for monocyte populations and metabolic markers.
Main Results:
- High-carbohydrate beverages significantly decreased TLR4+ expression on classical monocytes in OW/OB children.
- OW/OB children showed a greater reduction in TLR4+ nonclassical monocytes after CHO consumption compared to HW children.
- Insulin and glucose levels significantly increased post-CHO consumption, with glucose changes negatively correlating with monocyte population shifts.
Conclusions:
- High-carbohydrate beverages alter monocyte populations and are linked to glucose metabolism changes in OW/OB children.
- Findings suggest potential nutritional strategies for managing overweight/obesity in children.
- Clinical trial registration: NCT03597542.
Background:
Childhood obesity is increasing, with about one-third of children overweight or obese. Obesity is characterized by a state of chronic low-grade inflammation that is related to cardiometabolic comorbidities. Inflammatory monocytes, which are classified into 3 different groups-classical, intermediate, and nonclassical monocytes, with Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4+) expression indicating a proinflammatory state-underlie several obesity-associated morbidities.
Objectives:
This study aimed to assess the responses of monocyte populations to beverages of differing macronutrient composition in children with healthy weight (HW) or overweight/obesity (OW/OB).
Methods:
Ten HW children (5th to 84.9th percentile; mean age 12.29 ± 2.5 y) and 7 children with OW/OB (85th to 99.99th percentile; mean age 11.96 ± 3.8 y) completed the study. Adiposity was determined via DXA. Using a double-blinded, randomized, crossover design, participants consumed either a high-carbohydrate (CHO; 210 kcal; 0 g fat/56 g carbohydrates/0 g protein) or a whole-egg-based high-protein/fat (EGG; 210 kcal; 15 g fat/0 g carbohydrates/18 g protein) beverage. Venous blood was collected at baseline and 2 h postprandially for evaluation of metabolic and inflammatory responses. Repeated measures ANOVA and Pearson correlations were conducted.
Results:
Consuming the CHO beverage significantly reduced the primary outcome: TLR4+ expression on classical monocytes in children with OW/OB only (25.60% decrease from baseline in OW/OB compared with 1.61% increase in HW). Children with OW/OB had significantly less percentages of TLR4+ nonclassical monocytes than HW (47.66% lower after CHO). Insulin and glucose (secondary outcomes), were significantly higher after the CHO condition compared with baseline (230.61% and 9.93% increase, respectively). Changes in glucose were significantly and negatively related to changes in monocyte populations in the CHO condition.
Conclusions:
These data suggest that high-carbohydrate beverages alter monocyte populations in the blood in children with OW/OB, which is related to glucose metabolism. These findings have implications for nutritional recommendations in children with overweight/obesity. National Clinical Trial registry trial number: NCT03597542.
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