# Exploration of Biomarkers of Food Intake in a Caribbean Hispanic Population

## TL;DR

This study explores how genetic and lifestyle factors affect the relationship between food intake and biomarkers in a Caribbean Hispanic population.

## Contribution

The study identifies genetic variants that modify biomarker-food intake relationships in a specific population.

## Key findings

- 12 known BFI-food pairs reached statistical significance, with 11 remaining significant after adjustment.
- Genetic variants rs7078243 and rs62501664 were found to modify relationships with coffee and poultry biomarkers.
- Non-dietary factors modulate validated biomarker-food intake associations in observational settings.

## Abstract

Valid measures of dietary intake are essential for health and nutrition research, but typical forms‐ or interview‐based measurements are susceptible to random and systematic errors. Although many biomarkers of food intake (BFIs) have been validated, we aimed to explore how food‐BFI relationships are affected by genetic and lifestyle factors among Caribbean Hispanic adults. Dietary, clinical, anthropometric, blood metabolomics, and genotype data from 782 Puerto Rican adults were available. Thirty‐one BFI‐food intake relationships were assessed using linear regression, including covariates based on significant covariate‐BFI associations (i.e., age, body weight, physical activity, and sex). We observed 12 known BFI‐food pairs that reached statistical significance, of which 11 remained significant after adjustment. Applying genome‐wide association tests of blood metabolites to BFI‐food pairs, genetic variants rs7078243 and rs62501664 were identified as modifying relationships with 3‐methylxanthine‐coffee and 3‐methylhistidine‐poultry, respectively. Eleven validated biomarker‐food intake pairs remained statistically significant after adjusting for covariates. Identification of genotype‐BFI associations accentuates that the implementation of certain BFIs will depend on common genetic differences.

Validated BFIs show significant associations with food intake in an observational setting, and those associations were often modulated by non‐dietary factors. The identification of genotype‐BFI associations implies that the utility of a BFI could depend on common genetic differences.