Associations of Butyrylcholinesterase Activity and Lipid-Related Indices with Obesity in Thai Children

Background: Childhood obesity is a significant global health concern. Butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) has been shown to play a role in lipid metabolism. This study aimed to assess BChE activity, obesity-related and lipid-related indices, and dyslipidemia in obese and non-obese children, and to investigate the associations of these parameters with obesity among Thai children. Methods: The study included 661 Thai children, consisting of 338 with obesity and 323 with a normal weight. Anthropometric measurements, metabolic parameters, obesity- and lipid-related indices, and BChE activity were evaluated. Results: The obese group exhibited significantly higher BChE activity and obesity-related and lipid-related indices compared to the non-obese group ( p < 0.01). Additionally, metabolic parameters—including glucose levels, triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index, and TyG-related indices—as well as the lipid profile, which included triglycerides (TG), non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C), and very-low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C), were all significantly elevated in the obese group ( p < 0.01). Obesity was associated with dyslipidemia ( p < 0.01). Moreover, BChE activity showed a positive correlation with obesity-related and lipid-related indices, along with several metabolic parameters ( p < 0.002). The upper stratum of BChE activity (OR = 5.356), the non-HDL-C/HDL-C ratio (OR = 2.185), and the TG/HDL-C ratio (OR = 1.703) were found to be effective in evaluating and predicting the risk of obesity, even after adjusting for potential covariates ( p < 0.01). Conclusions: These findings indicate a significant relationship between obesity and increased BChE activity, lipid-related indices, and dyslipidemia in Thai children. Therefore, changes in BChE activity may be considered a factor associated with obesity, enhancing its potential as a marker for obesity assessment.