Plant-based and high protein diets are associated with a lower risk of obesity among Koreans at a high genetic risk of obesity.

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Obesity has become a severe public health challenge globally. The present study aimed to identify separate and interactive dietary, genetic, and other factors that increase the risk of obesity, as measured by body fat mass. Subjects/Methods: We utilized a genome-wide association study to identify genetic variants associated with high-fat mass(obesity; n=10,502) and combined them to generate polygenic risk scores(PRS) of genetic variants interacting with each other in adults aged over 40(n=58,701). We then evaluated dietary and lifestyle factors in subjects to assess what factors might help overcome a genetic propensity for higher body fat. Results: The three-SNP model included brain-derived neurotrophic factor(BDNF)_rs6265, fat mass and obesity-associated protein(FTO)_rs1421085, and SEC16B_rs509325. ADCY3_rs6545790 and BAIAP2_rs35867081 minor alleles increased their gene expression in the visceral and subcutaneous adipocytes, but ADCY3_rs6545790 and BAIAP2_rs35867081 minor alleles decreased their gene expression in the hypothalamus. In the three-SNP model, the PRS was associated with body fat mass by 1.408 and 1.396 times after adjusting covariates 1 and 2, respectively. However, when separating subjects by PRS of the three-SNP model, a plant-based diet was the most significant factor associated with low body fat, followed by high protein diets and lower energy intakes. They could offset the effects of high genetic risk for high body fat. Conclusions: Modulating nutrient intakes might overcome a high genetic risk for obesity. Dietary choices favoring more plant-based and higher protein foods might help prevent increased body fat in Asians and potentially people of other ethnicities with high polygenetic risk scores.