The AGE-RAGE axis in an Arab population: The United Arab Emirates Healthy Futures (UAEHFS) pilot study

© 2017 The Authors Aims The transformation of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from a semi-nomadic to a high income society has been accompanied by increasing rates of obesity and Type 2 diabetes mellitus. We examined if the AGE-RAGE (receptor for advanced glycation endproducts) axis is associated with obesity and diabetes mellitus in the pilot phase of the UAE Healthy Futures Study (UAEHFS). Methods 517 Emirati subjects were enrolled and plasma/serum levels of AGE, carboxy methyl lysine (CML)-AGE, soluble (s)RAGE and endogenous secretory (es)RAGE were measured along with weight, height, waist and hip circumference (WC/HC), blood pressure, HbA1c, Vitamin D levels and routine chemistries. The relationship between the AGE-RAGE axis and obesity and diabetes mellitus was tested using proportional odds models and linear regression. Results After covariate adjustment, AGE levels were significantly associated with diabetes status. Levels of sRAGE and esRAGE were associated with BMI and levels of sRAGE were associated with WC/HC. Conclusions The AGE-RAGE axis is associated with diabetes status and obesity in this Arab population. Prospective serial analysis of this axis may identify predictive biomarkers of obesity and cardiometabolic dysfunction in the UAEHFS

Associations between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D, body mass index and body fat composition among Emirati population: Results from the UAE healthy future study.

INTRODUCTION: Vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency are highly prevalent among several populations across the globe. Numerous studies have shown a significant correlation between body-mass-index (BMI) and Vitamin D status, however, some results differed according to ethnicity. Despite the abundance of sunshine throughout the year, vitamin D deficiency is prominent in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). In this study, we analyzed the UAE Healthy Future Study (UAEHFS) pilot data to investigate the association between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) and % body fat (BF) composition as well as BMI. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Data from a total of 399 Emirati men and women aged ≥ 18 years were analyzed. Serum 25(OH)D and standard measures of weight and height were included in the analyses. Vitamin D deficiency was defined as serum 25(OH)D concentration<20 ng/ml. Multivariate quantile regression models were performed to explore the relationship between serum 25(OH)D levels and % BF composition and BMI correspondingly. RESULTS: There were 281 (70.4%) males and 118 (29.6%) females included in this study. More than half of the study participants had vitamin D insufficiency (52.4%), and nearly a third had vitamin D deficiency (30.3%); while only 17.3% had optimal levels. A statistically significant negative association between serum 25(OH) D levels and % BF composition was observed at intermediate percentiles while a statistically significant negative association between serum 25(OH)D and BMI was only observed at the median (50th percentile). CONCLUSION: The study findings support the association between low serum 25(OH) D levels (low vitamin D status) and high % BF composition and high BMI among adult Emiratis. Further longitudinal data from the prospective UAEHFS could better elucidate the relationship between serum 25(OH) D levels, % BF composition, and BMI in the context of various health outcomes among this population

Additional file 1: of The UAE healthy future study: a pilot for a prospective cohort study of 20,000 United Arab Emirates nationals

Participant Completed Questionnaire. (DOCX 82 kb