Association of Basal Metabolic Rate and Nutrients Oxidation with Cardiometabolic Risk Factors and Insulin Sensitivity in Sedentary Middle-Aged Adults

Abstract

This cross-sectional study aimed to examine the association of basal metabolic rate (BMR) and basal fat and carbohydrate oxidation (BFox and BCHox, respectively) with cardiometabolic risk factors and insulin sensitivity in sedentary middle-aged adults. A total of 71 healthy sedentary adults (37 women) aged 40-65 years participated in the current study. Data were collected during the baseline assessments of the FIT-AGEING randomized controlled trial. BMR was measured via indirect calorimetry, and BFox and BCHox estimated by stoichiometric equations. Blood pressure, glucose, insulin, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglycerides plasma levels were selected as cardiometabolic risk factors and assessed following standard procedures. We observed positive associations of BMR with plasma insulin and the homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance index (HOMA; all p < 0.05) which were attenuated or disappeared after controlling by sex, age, and/or lean mass. There were positive associations between BFox and the quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (QUICKI; p < 0.015), while negative associations were noted between BFox and plasma insulin and HOMA (p < 0.015). There was a significant negative association between BCHox with QUICKI (p < 0.01), whereas significant positive relationships were obtained when BCHox was associated with plasma insulin and HOMA (p < 0.01). These associations persisted in almost all cases when controlling by sex, age and/or lean mass. No further relationships were found when BMR, BFox, and BCHox were associated with other cardiometabolic risk factors. In conclusion, our study findings support that greater BFox and lower BCHox are related to improved insulin sensitivity, whereas BMR seems to be not associated with neither cardiometabolic risk nor insulin sensitivity in sedentary middle-aged adults. Further intervention studies are necessary to well-understand the physiological mechanism implied in this relationship.

Body Composition of Master Swimmers before and after the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Longitudinal Study

“…Apparently, training cessation during the pandemic did not have an effect on their body composition parameters. Moreover, the tested swimmers were characterized by a higher basal metabolic rate than sedentary adults of the same age [52]. According to the latest studies, a higher basal metabolic rate is a biomarker of healthy aging [53].…”

Associations of resting and peak fat oxidation with sex hormone profile and blood glucose control in middle-aged women

“…The role of RFO as a metabolic health marker is controversial [51]. Some [25] but not all [52] studies have reported that RFO is inversely associated with fasting insulin levels. The relationship is believable as insulin levels decline and fat oxidation increases according to fasting duration [53].…”

“…Therefore, investigating the relationship between fat oxidation and glucose control is especially relevant in middle-aged women. Both RFO [25] and PFO [26] have been associated with insulin sensitivity in other populations. However, the findings are not universal [7,27,28], and the studies have relied on fasting-based outcomes.…”

The association between the basal metabolic rate and cardiovascular disease: A two‐sample Mendelian randomization study

“…Increasingly more studies have demonstrated that metabolic abnormalities such as insulin resistance, impaired glucose metabolism and dyslipidaemia are associated with the development of cardiovascular diseases 3,4 . These metabolic abnormalities are often accompanied by oxidative stress, chronic low‐grade inflammation, and hemodynamic abnormalities, which are associated with an increased basal metabolic rate (BMR) 5–7 . The BMR is the metabolic rate of the body when it is awake and quiet and is not affected by muscle activity, ambient temperature, food, or mental stress, so that it could be a potential target for intervention 8,9 .…”