Unraveling the role of serum metabolites in the relationship between plant-based diets and bone health in community-dwelling older adults

Yi Zheng; Ningxin Gao; Yucan Li; Min Fan; Weizhong Tian; Yanfeng Jiang; Yingzhe Wang; Mei Cui; Chen Suo; Tiejun Zhang; Li Jin; Kelin Xu; Xingdong Chen

Current Research in Food Science (Jan 2024)

Unraveling the role of serum metabolites in the relationship between plant-based diets and bone health in community-dwelling older adults

Yi Zheng,
Ningxin Gao,
Yucan Li,
Min Fan,
Weizhong Tian,
Yanfeng Jiang,
Yingzhe Wang,
Mei Cui,
Chen Suo,
Tiejun Zhang,
Li Jin,
Kelin Xu,
Xingdong Chen

Affiliations

Yi Zheng: State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Zhangjiang Fudan International Innovation Center, School of Life Sciences, Human Phenome Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
Ningxin Gao: Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, The Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety of Ministry of Education, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
Yucan Li: State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Zhangjiang Fudan International Innovation Center, School of Life Sciences, Human Phenome Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
Min Fan: Taixing Disease Control and Prevention Center, Taizhou, Jiangsu, China
Weizhong Tian: Taizhou People's Hospital Affiliated to Nantong University, Taizhou, Jiangsu, China
Yanfeng Jiang: State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Zhangjiang Fudan International Innovation Center, School of Life Sciences, Human Phenome Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Fudan University Taizhou Institute of Health Sciences, Taizhou, Jiangsu, China
Yingzhe Wang: State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Zhangjiang Fudan International Innovation Center, School of Life Sciences, Human Phenome Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Fudan University Taizhou Institute of Health Sciences, Taizhou, Jiangsu, China
Mei Cui: Fudan University Taizhou Institute of Health Sciences, Taizhou, Jiangsu, China; Department of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
Chen Suo: Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, The Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety of Ministry of Education, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Fudan University Taizhou Institute of Health Sciences, Taizhou, Jiangsu, China
Tiejun Zhang: Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, The Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety of Ministry of Education, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Fudan University Taizhou Institute of Health Sciences, Taizhou, Jiangsu, China
Li Jin: State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Zhangjiang Fudan International Innovation Center, School of Life Sciences, Human Phenome Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Fudan University Taizhou Institute of Health Sciences, Taizhou, Jiangsu, China
Kelin Xu: Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, The Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety of Ministry of Education, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Fudan University Taizhou Institute of Health Sciences, Taizhou, Jiangsu, China; Corresponding author. Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, The Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety of Ministry of Education, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
Xingdong Chen: State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Zhangjiang Fudan International Innovation Center, School of Life Sciences, Human Phenome Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Fudan University Taizhou Institute of Health Sciences, Taizhou, Jiangsu, China; National Clinical Research Center for Aging and Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Yiwu Research Institute of Fudan University, Yiwu, Zhejiang, China; Corresponding author. State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Zhangjiang Fudan International Innovation Center, School of Life Sciences, Human Phenome Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 8
p. 100687

Abstract

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The potential adverse effects of the plant-based dietary pattern on bone health have received widespread attention. However, the biological mechanisms underlying the adverse effects of plant-based diets on bone health remain incompletely understood. The objective of this study was to identify potential biomarkers between plant-based diets and bone loss utilizing metabolomic techniques in the Taizhou Imaging Study (TIS) (N = 788). Plant-based diet indexes (overall plant-based diet index (PDI), healthy plant-based diet index (hPDI), and unhealthy plant-based diet index (uPDI)) were calculated using the food frequency questionnaire, and bone mineral density (BMD) was measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. A multinomial logistic regression was used to explore the associations of plant-based diet indexes with bone loss. Furthermore, mediation analysis and exploratory factor analysis (EFA) were performed to explore the mediated effects of metabolites on the association of plant-based diets with BMD T-score. Our results showed that higher hPDI and uPDI were positively associated with bone loss. Moreover, nineteen metabolites were significantly associated with BMD T-score, among them, seven metabolites were associated with uPDI. Except for cholesterol esters in VLDL-1, the remaining six metabolites significantly mediated the negative association between uPDI and BMD T-score. Interestingly, we observed that the same six metabolites mediated the positive association between fresh fruit and BMD T-score. Collectively, our results support the deleterious effects of plant-based diets on bone health and discover the potential mediation effect of metabolites on the association of plant-based diets with bone loss. The findings offer valuable insights that could optimize dietary recommendations and interventions, contributing to alleviate the potential adverse effects associated with plant-based diets.

Published in Current Research in Food Science

ISSN: 2665-9271 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: Netherlands
LCC subjects: Technology: Home economics: Nutrition. Foods and food supply; Technology: Chemical technology: Food processing and manufacture
Website: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/current-research-in-food-science

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