The Associations Between Blood and Urinary Concentrations of Metal Metabolites, Obesity, Hypertension, Type 2 Diabetes, and Dyslipidemia

The objectives of the study were to determine if high concentrations of metals in blood or urine: 1) were associated with obesity and 2) influence the relationship between obesity and hypertension, type 2 diabetes and dyslipidemia, respectively. Data from the National Health and Examination Survey (NHANES Continuous 1999-2016) were used. We observed several associations between metal concentration, obesity and health. Blood lead had a linear and protective association with obesity (OR, 95% CI= 0.42, 0.37-0.47). In those with obesity, high blood lead was associated with lower risk of prevalent dyslipidemia and no effect of lead was found in those without obesity. We observed a curvilinear relationship between urinary antimony and obesity with the moderate group having the highest odds of obesity (OR=1.36, 1.16-1.59). However, the relationship between urinary antimony and prevalent hypertension and dyslipidemia risk was linear and positive. The impact of environmental factors on obesity and health may be complex and this study reinforces the heterogeneous relationship between various metals, obesity and metabolic disease.