1. Interaction of Vitamin B12 and Ancestral Genetic Background with Adiposity in Children
Wilnerys Colberg Hernández
Mentors: José R. Fernández PhD & David Allison PhD
Good afternoon, my name is Wilnerys Colberg Hernandez
Ive been working on a research project titled interaction of vitamin b12 and ancestral genetic background with adiposity in children
This research was performed with the help of my mentors: Dr. Jose Fernandez & Dr. David Allison

2. Obesity What is obesity? Why is this a concern?
Excess body fat accumulated to the magnitude that it may have an adverse effect on health. Obesity is determined differently in adults and children.
BMI = weight(kg) / height²(m²)
BMI ≥30
BMI percentile ≥95𝑡ℎ
Why is this a concern?
Increasing prevalence
Obesity is associated with numerous health problems
Heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes,
metabolic syndrome, cancer, etc.
Shortening individuals’ lives
70% obese children become obese adults
Lets start by defining obesity.
Obesity is the excess of fat accumulated in the body to the extent that it may have an adverse effect on health.
Why is this a concern?
The prevalence of obesity is increasing over time, this is alarming since obesity is proven to be associated with many comorbidies such as:
Heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, even some cancer.
This condition shortens an individuals life spam.
In this study children is our main focus since 70% obese children become obese adults
(Zhao, J. et.al, 2011)

3. Obesity prevalence in children
This graph represents how the prevalence of obesity In children in both group ages and how it has increased over time.
We observe an increase in both age ranges

4. Etiology of obesity Say hi to Gordy!
It is important to identify the factors that makeup the etiology of obesity.
To understand about how some factors affect an individual I would like to present to you my friend Luis.
Luis was a healthy child, but his has a family history of obesity. Luis should be careful
Since he may also become to have diabetes. As time has gone by the influence behavior factors such physical inactivity and also environmental factors like the high calorie foods, together over time eventually became a mildly obese child. But Luis got lazy and lazier inhibiting as much movements possible becoming a moderately obese child. By this time exercise is uncomfortable and painful, and kids make fun of his body composition, by that time he became a severely obese child, and today he is a obese adult with diabetes high blood pressure with high medical bills!!!

5. The contribution of environmental and behavioral might sound simple…
Obesity is a complex disease
Individuals respond differently
What do we know of the etiology of obesity?
Through the years there has been controversy
Behavioral
Nature VS Nurture
Obesity is not simple, its a complex disease where every individual responds differently to the environment. Before scientist have been researching if obesity was related to either nature or nurture
But now we understand that obesity is the interplay of behavioral, environmental and genetic factor.
Environmental
Obesity
Genetic
(Kimm, S. et. al, 2003)

6. Complex enough? The etiology is still not completely understood but,
Scientific research are beginning to explore these factors
Efforts focusing these factors and its affect on adiposity
I took interest understanding how these factors interact to influence adiposity
Taking into account that obesity is more as an interaction of these aforementioned factors:
The etiology is still not clear though, scientists are beginning to explore these interactions focusing in gene & environment effects on adiposity
Behavioral
Obesity
Genetic
Environmental
(McAllister, E. et.al, 2009)

7. Lets start by…
Scientists have made great advances identifying several genes that might be implicated and have found association between race/ethnicity  
Discusing about the factors that may influence obesity we will start talking abt the genetic influence.
Among all boys, and among all girls……
Obesity
Genetic

8. Genetic variation How do we capture individuals consumption of food?
Ancestral Genetic Background (ADM):
ADM describes the genomic variation between populations.
Examination of DNA variations based on genetic markers
European, African, Amerindian
Genetic Background affects how our bodies capture, store, and release energy from food.
How do we capture individuals consumption of food?
We have seen the differences in obesity among different race/ethnicities, and as we have mentioned previously in the presentation, genetics may play a significant role in obesity. In order to capture the genetic component that may underlie race/ethnicity, we chose to look at the ancestral genetic background
Since we have introduced the genetic influence now lets go into the environmental factor,
Obesity
Genetic
(Darvasi, A. et.al, 2005)

9. Nutritional Components
Today there is an emerging trend to understand how nutrients affect body composition.
Personalized nutrition advice
Which nutrient(s) should we target?
Behavioral
Obesity
Environmental
(Abete, I. et.al, 2011)

10. Nutrient -> Vitamins -> B12

11. Vitamin B12
B12 is touted as an energy enhancer, metabolism booster & fat burner
Is this true?
Relationship between vitamin B12 and excess body fat is unclear.
Found in animal based foods and fortified food.
Essential for growth, development, producing blood cells, nervous system function.
Regulation of protein and enzymes in metabolism.
Behavioral
Obesity
Environmental
(Baltaci, D. et.al, 2012)

12. Objective
To evaluate if the interaction of dietary Vitamin B12 consumption and ADM influences levels of body fat among children from a multi-ethnic sample.
Behavioral
Obesity
Genetic
Environmental

13. Methodology Subjects from a cross-sectional cohort study :
Sample of 319 children.
Males and females of age 7 to 12 years.
Children were recruited from Birmingham, Alabama.
Pubertal stage ≤3; assessed by pediatrician according to the criteria of Marshall and Tanner.
Not taking medication known to affect body composition.
Measurements were performed between at Nutrition Obesity research Center & the Department of Nutrition Sciences at UAB.
Anthropometric measures:
Pubertal status (breast, genitalia, and pubic hair development)
Height (cm) - (stadiometer)
Weight (kg) - (scale-tronix 6702W)

14. Methods… Body composition Dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA)
Dietary Measures:
Two 24-hour diet recalls administered by a registered dietitian using triple-pass method
Total calories
B12 dietary intake (𝜇𝑔/𝑑𝑎𝑦)
Other B vitamins
Ethnicity:
Reported by parents or guardian
Genetic Measures:
Genetic Admixture assessed by ancestry informative markers
Amerindian, African, and European

15. Statistical Analyses
Analyses were performed using SAS software version 9.3
Multiple regression model
 To estimate the relationships among variables in interest
Model #1
Log Total Fat
Covariates
B12 Intake
African Admixture
B12 * Afr. Adm.
Covariates:
Total Calories, Height, Age, Sex, Tanner

16. Multiple Regression Models
Resting Energy Expenditure
Covariates
B12 Intake
African Admixture
B12 * Afr. Adm.
Covariates:
Total Calories, Weight, Age, Sex, Tanner
Model #3
BMI
Covariates
B12
African Admixture
B12 * Afr. Adm.
Covariates:
Total Calories, Age, Sex, Tanner

17. Multiple Regression Models
Total Lean
Covariates
B12
African Admixture
B12 * Afr. Adm.
Covariates:
Total Calories, Age, Sex, Tanner
Model #5
Log Total Fat
Covariates
**Other B -vitamins
African Admixture
B vitamins * Afr. Adm.
Covariates:
Total Calories, Height, Age, Sex, Tanner
**B-vitamins:
Thiamin, Niacin, B6, Riboflavin, Folate & pantothenic acid

18. % variability explained
Results: model #1
Table 1. Baseline Descriptive Statistics
Table 2. Parameter Estimates for Interaction and Simple
Effect Terms
Variable
Mean ± 𝑺𝑫 ∗ 𝒐𝒓 (%) ∗∗
Total Calorie ±
Total Fat ±
Height (cm)
± 10.64
Weight (kg)
36.55 ± 9.53
Age
9.55 ± 1.57
Pubertal Stage
1.50 ± 0.74
Vitamin B12
4.51 ± 2.72
Male
53.11%
European American
37.89%
African American
33.23%
Hispanic American
26.40%
Mixed Race/Ethnicity
2.48%
Variables
Parameter estimate
P-value
African Admixture
-0.053
0.7184
B12
0.064
0.0008
B12 & Afr. Adm.
-0.082
0.0036
P-value for model <.0001
Table 3. Percent of Variability Explained
Model
R-squared
% variability explained
Covariates + Afr. Adm.
0.3131
____
Covariates + Afr. Adm. + B12
0.3199
.68%
Covariates + Afr. Adm. + B12 + Interaction
0.3403
2.72%
* Standard Deviation **Percentage of total sample (n=319)

19. Results: model #1
Fig 1. 3D representation of the interaction of B12 with African Admixture on Body Fat
African ADM

20. Results: model #1
Fig 2. 2D representation of the interaction of B12 with African Admixture on Log Body Fat
Afr. ADM

21. Independent Variables
Results:
Model
Dependent Variables
Independent Variables
Parameter Estimate
P-Value 2
Resting Energy
Afr. ADM.
-90.49
0.0808
B12
-9.94
0.1412
interaction
12.72
0.1987 3
BMI
0.29
0.7312
0.25
0.0238
-0.31
0.0591 4
Lean Mass
293.87
.07578
-50.17
0.6851
176.12
0.3333
Results: model #5
None of the other B-vitamins had any significant associations

22. Discussion/Conclusion
This study demonstrates that the differences in body fat observed in children may be explained in part by the interaction of dietary micronutrients with individuals’ ADM.
Fig. 2 2D representation of the interaction of B12 intake & Afr. Adm with Log body fat

23. Discussion/Conclusion
Also, the mechanism by which the interaction of B12 and Afr. Adm. does not seem to be related to resting energy expenditure since no significant association was found in the regression model.
Further study is needed to understand how individuals’ ancestral background and nutrient consumption may contribute to adiposity levels.
This study may help our understanding of the etiology of obesity, hopefully for the development of nutritional intervention strategies.

24. Acknowledgments NSF (EPSCoR : 1158862) SSG
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Universidad Metropolitana
Dr. José Fernández
Dr. Hemant Tiwari
Michelle Brown Bohan PhD
Kenneth P. Kell M.Eng
Keith E. Pearson

25. Any questions???