RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the association between serum levels of LPS, sCD14 and hs-CRP, and markers of obesity, and dietary composition of healthy adults residing in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. METHODS: Apparently healthy adults, aged 18-55 years, were recruited from Jeddah population in a cross-sectional design. Anthropometric measurements, and vital signs were taken using standardized techniques. Serum glucose, cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein- cholesterol (HDL-C), hs-CPR, LPS and sCD14 were assayed, and LDL- cholesterol (LDL-C), and atherogenic index of plasma (AIP) were calculated. Means of estimated variables were compared using t-test or Mann-Whitney U-test for two groups and ANOVA for multiple groups. Chi-square, and Pearson's correlation coefficient were used to identify association and correlations between studied variables. RESULTS: Means of TG, LDL-C, and hs-CRP increased significantly in both genders with increasing BMI (p= 0.019, and 0.040 for TG, 0.049, and 0.002 for LDL-C in males and females respectively, and <0.001 for hs-CRP for both). Mean hs-CRP was significantly higher in subjects with abdominal obesity (p=0.025 for men, and 0.001 for women), identified to have metabolic syndrome (p<0.001). Mean sCD14 was significantly elevated in females consuming high quantity of bread (p= 0.033) or drinking tea (p = 0.018). LPS correlated positively with sCD14 in men (p=0.049). CONCLUSIONS: An association between dietary composition and development of bacterial endotoxaemia was found. However, no association between measures of endotoxaemia and increased adiposity and inflammation was found.