Metabolomics. 2026 Jul 1;22(4):107. doi: 10.1007/s11306-026-02494-6.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Childhood obesity is a complex disease and adversely affects multiple organ systems and increases the risk for several health problems, including diabetes, cancer, atherosclerosis, and premature cardiovascular disease in adulthood. This study aimed to identify differences in volatile organic compounds (VOCs) between normal weight (NW) and overweight/obese (OW/OB) children, as well as between European American and African American children.
METHODS: A total of 159 children participated in this cross-sectional study. Urine samples were analyzed using solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (SPME-GC-MS) following glucuronidase and sulfatase treatment to capture a broad range of urinary volatiles with diverse physicochemical properties. Multiple linear regression was used to examine associations between urinary VOCs and BMI z-scores, and to identify VOCs that differentiated NW from OW/OB children.
RESULTS: Sixty-five VOCs were identified as differing between NW and OW/OB children, with ten remaining significant predictors of obesity after adjusting for race and socioeconomic status. These compounds exhibited area under the curve values ranging from 0.503 and 0.737, with sensitivity and specificity above 0.60.
CONCLUSIONS: Key VOCs, including benzaldehyde, furan, hexanal, 4-heptanone and 2-pentylfuran, were positively associated with BMI z-score and may contribute to the low-grade chronic inflammation characteristic of obesity. These findings highlight the potential of urinary VOCs as non-invasive biomarkers for childhood obesity.
PMID:42384279 | DOI:10.1007/s11306-026-02494-6