Daoudi H, Rouabah L, Rouabah A, Bouhenni H, Mebarek KB and Vitiello D
Background: Altered lipid perception might influence obesity risk by affecting feeding behavior. The goal of the present study was to compare eating habits between adolescents with AA polymorphism of CD36 gene with their obese and lean counterparts.
Methods and Findings: The study population (n=165, age=13.9 ± 1.1 years) was divided into two groups. One was composed of 65 adolescents with AA genotype of CD36 lingual gene (35 obese, 30 control), 76 adolescents with AG genotype (43 obese, 33 control) and 24 adolescents with GG genotype (5 obese, 19 control). The other was composed of 83 adolescents with obesity (z-score 2.67 ± 0.29, 14.01 ± 0.19 years) and 82 without obesity (z-score 0.03 ± 0.0, 13.92 ± 0.23 years). The BMI z-score, oleic acid sensitivity test and eating habits were assessed in all subjects. Adolescents with AA genotype of CD36 lingual gene had the same eating habits than adolescents with obesity without AA genotype in terms of eat-containing products consumption (meat in general, sausages and offal), French fries, milk and soda (p<0.05). We also demonstrated an opposite trend in fruits and candies intake. Eating habits of adolescents with AA-allele of CD36 gene polymorphism are similar to those of adolescents with obesity in foods containing fat, which may explain the increase in detection threshold for emulsions containing fatty acids in subjects with obesity.
Conclusion: The AA genotype of the CD36 gene and the higher detection threshold for fatty acids may play a significant role in eating disorder and the development of obesity in our population of Algerian adolescents.
