Reihaneh Zeinalian
1 
, Dorsa Arman Moghadam
2 , Naseh Pahlavani
3,4 , Neda Roshanravan
5 , Mohammad Alizadeh
6 , Masoumeh Jabbari
7* , Sorayya Kheirouri
8* 1 Department of Nutrition in Community, Faculty of Nutrition, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
2 Department of Nutrition, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
3 Department of Nutrition, School of Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
4 Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Nutrition, Faculty of Medicine, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran
5 Cardiovascular Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
6 Nutrition Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
7 Faculty of Nutrition Sciences and Food Industry, Department of Community Nutrition, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
8 Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Nutrition, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
Abstract
Introduction: Although, some evidence has shown that obestatin, ghrelin, and neurotrophic factors can be involved in the development of cardio-metabolic risk factors, there are some contradictions in this regard. We aimed to investigate the association of serum neurotrophic factors and some gastric hormones with cardio-metabolic risk factors among apparently healthy women.
Methods: In the present study, 90 apparently healthy women were recruited by a convenient sampling method from the nutrition counseling clinic in Tabriz, Iran. All participants need dietary counseling for weight loss and were recruited before receiving any dietary interventions. Anthropometric, biochemical, physical activity, and blood pressure (BP) measurements, as well as dietary assessment, were done in all participants.
Results: Women who were in the highest tertile of serum obestatin levels (OR=0.118, 95% CI:0.035-0.396) had a significantly lower risk for development of hypertriglyceridemia compared to the reference group (P trend<0.001). Participants in the highest tertile of serum ghrelin had a significant lower risk of hypertriglyceridemia, hyperglycemia, low HDL-C, and MetS (Ptrend<0.05). Women who were in the higher tertile of serum NGF levels had a significantly lower risk for development of hypertriglyceridemia after adjustment for potential confounding variables (OR=0.091, 95% CI: 0.023-0.361 and OR=0.193, 95% CI: 0.057-0.649 respectively).
Conclusion: In the current study serum levels of obestatin, NGF, and ghrelin were associated with some cardio-metabolic risk factors such as hypertriglyceridemia and MetS. It seems that these factors are associated with metabolic regulation. However, further studies are needed to substantiate this claim.