Context: The increasing prevalence of obesity and diabetes greatly influences the risk for cardiovascular (CV) comorbidities and affects the quality of life of many people. However, the relationship among diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular risk is complex and requires further investigation to understand the biological milieu connecting these conditions.
Objective: The aim of the current study was to explore the relationship between biological markers of adipose tissue function (adiponectin) and CV risk (apolipoprotein B) in body mass index (BMI)-matched participants with and without diabetes.
Design: Nested case-control study.
Setting: The Atlantic Partnership for Tomorrow's Health (PATH) cohort represents four Atlantic Canadian provinces: Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick; Nova Scotia; and Prince Edward Island.
Participants: The study population (n = 480) was aged 35 to 69 years, 240 with diabetes and 240 without diabetes.
Main outcome measures: Groups with and without diabetes were matched for sex and BMI. Both measured and self-reported data were used to examine disease status, adiposity, and lifestyle factors. Immunoassays were used to measure plasma markers.
Results: In these participants, plasma adiponectin levels were lower among those with diabetes than those without diabetes; these results were sex-specific, with a strong relationship seen in women. In contrast, in participants matched for sex and adiposity, plasma apoB levels were similar between participants with and those without diabetes.
Conclusion: Measures of adiposity were higher in participants with diabetes. However, when matched for adiposity, the adipokine adiponectin exhibited a strong inverse association with diabetes.
Keywords: adiponectin; apolipoprotein B; diabetes; obesity.