Ethnic Differences in Adiposity and Metabolic Profiles Among Young Adults in North Sulawesi, Indonesia: Accounting for Diet, Physical Activity, and KCNQ1 rs2237892

Abstract

Cardiometabolic profiles may differ across ethnocultural populations, but data from young adults in Indonesia remain limited. We examined ethnic differences in adiposity and metabolic profiles while accounting for dietary, behavioral, and KCNQ1 rs2237892 variation. This secondary cross-sectional analysis included 300 adults aged 18–25 years from the Minahasa, Sangihe Talaud, and Bolaang Mongondouw ethnic groups in North Sulawesi, Indonesia (100 per group). Anthropometric, lipid, fasting glucose, dietary, physical-activity, and KCNQ1 rs2237892 data were analyzed. A multivariate general linear model evaluated ethnic differences in BMI, waist circumference, HDL-C, fasting plasma glucose, and ln-transformed triglycerides, adjusting for age, sex, physical activity, total energy intake, SFA intake, and C-allele dosage. The combined adiposity–metabolic phenotype differed across ethnic groups (Pillai’s Trace=0.189, F(10,574)=5.992, p<0.001). Ethnicity remained associated with BMI (p=0.005) and HDL-C (p<0.001), but not waist circumference, fasting plasma glucose, or triglycerides. Adjusted BMI was higher in Minahasa than Sangihe Talaud participants (difference 1.89 kg/m²; p=0.005). HDL-C was lower in Bolaang Mongondouw than Minahasa and Sangihe Talaud participants (differences 8.55 and 6.31 mg/dL, respectively; both p<0.001). KCNQ1 C-allele dosage was not independently associated with the phenotype panel. Ethnic differences among young North Sulawesi adults were concentrated in BMI and HDL-C and persisted after adjustment for measured dietary, behavioral, and KCNQ1 factors.