#AI reads Urine# Urinary amino acid profiling and childhood obesity
Published 19 May, 2025
This study aimed to identify urinary amino acid profiles in prepubescent children with obesity or overweight and explore their associations with cardiometabolic alterations. A total of 110 children aged 9–10 years were categorized into normal weight (NW, n=45), overweight (OW, n=21), and obese (OB, n=44) groups based on BMI-for-age. Urinary amino acids were analyzed by LC-MS/MS, and anthropometric, cardiovascular, and biochemical parameters were assessed.
Compared to NW, the OB group showed significantly higher levels of urinary alpha-aminoadipic acid, asparagine, cystathionine, 1-methyl-histidine, serine, tryptophan, phenylalanine, and tyrosine. The OW group exhibited elevated concentrations of glutamine, alpha-diaminopimelic acid, and sarcosine. Systolic and diastolic blood pressures, waist circumference, and uric acid levels were progressively higher in OW and OB groups.
The findings reveal that obese and overweight prepubescent children have distinct urinary amino acid fingerprints. Notably, increased aromatic amino acids (e.g., tyrosine) are strongly linked to glucose homeostasis impairment and insulin resistance, consistent with previous plasma-based studies. Potential mechanisms include enhanced protein degradation and impaired oxidative metabolism. These results suggest urinary amino acids, particularly tyrosine, could serve as non-invasive biomarkers for early detection of childhood obesity and associated cardiometabolic risks. Larger studies and direct assessments of body fat distribution are needed to validate these findings and further explore underlying metabolic pathways.
Front Physiol. 2025 Apr 29:16:1524939. doi:10.3389/fphys.2025.1524939.
Youhe Gao
Statement: During the preparation of this work the author(s) used Doubao / AI reading for summarizing the content. After using this tool/service, the author(s) reviewed and edited the content as needed and take(s) full responsibility for the content of the published article.
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