# Eccrine sweat reveals normalization of artificial sweetener levels in children with overweight after nutritional education

## TL;DR

Non-invasive sweat analysis shows artificial sweetener levels in overweight children normalize after nutrition education.

## Contribution

Non-invasive eccrine sweat metabolomics reveals normalization of cyclamate levels in overweight children following a health intervention.

## Key findings

- Cyclamate levels in sweat correlated with BMI in overweight children at baseline.
- Cyclamate levels in the overweight group normalized after the EDDY program intervention.
- Dynamic changes in gut microbiome-related metabolites were observed in sweat samples.

## Abstract

Determining metabolic parameters associated with childhood obesity is challenging due to the invasive nature of most sampling methods. Using a non-invasive eccrine sweat collection, 134 metabolomes were obtained from 54 children, of which 20% had overweight, including obesity. This cohort is part of the preventive EDDY program aiming to promote healthy lifestyles in school-aged children from Vienna, Austria. The abundance of the artificial sweetener cyclamate in eccrine sweat correlated with body mass index in the overweight group at baseline. Cyclamate was also found to be elevated in the overweight group at baseline compared to the normal weight group, but normalized after the intervention, indicating a positive impact of the EDDY program. Furthermore, dynamic changes in metabolites originating from the gut microbiome were observed. Sweat metabotyping thus represents a valuable approach to accessing metabolic parameters in children in the context of overweight and obesity and promises broad applicability in pediatric research.

•Sweat metabolomes of children are reported based on non-invasive sample collection•Normal weight and overweight children display differences in sweat metabolomes•The artificial sweetener cyclamate was elevated in the overweight group at baseline•Cyclamate abundance in the overweight group normalized after the intervention

Sweat metabolomes of children are reported based on non-invasive sample collection

Normal weight and overweight children display differences in sweat metabolomes

The artificial sweetener cyclamate was elevated in the overweight group at baseline

Cyclamate abundance in the overweight group normalized after the intervention

Human metabolism; Metabolomics; Nutrition education