Association between APOE Genotype with Body Composition and Cardiovascular Disease Risk Markers Is Modulated by BMI in Healthy Adults: Findings from the BODYCON Study.

Body mass index (BMI) has been suggested to play an important role in the relationship between the APOLIPOPROTEIN ( APO)E genotype and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Using data from the BODYCON cross-sectional study (n = 360 adults) we assessed the association between body composition and CVD risk markers according to APOE genotype, with examination of the role of BMI. In this study cohort, the APOE2/E3 group had lower fasting blood lipids than APOE4 carriers and APOE3/E3 group ( p ≤ 0.01). After stratifying the group according to BMI, APOE4 carriers in the normal BMI subgroup had a higher lean mass compared with the APOE3/E3 group ( p = 0.02) whereas in the overweight/obese subgroup, the android to gynoid percentage fat ratio was lower in APOE4 carriers than APOE3/E3 group ( p = 0.04). Fasting lipid concentrations were only different between the APOE2/E3 and other genotype groups within the normal weight BMI subgroup ( p ≤ 0.04). This finding was associated with a lower dietary fibre and a higher trans-fat intake compared with APOE4 carriers, and a lower carbohydrate intake relative to the APOE3/E3 group. Our results confirm previous reports that BMI modulates the effect of APOE on CVD risk markers and suggest novel interactions on body composition, with diet a potential modulator of this relationship.