Adiposity and Sex Influence on SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Response in University Students. An ESFUERSO cross-sectional study

Introduction Prior studies have identified various determinants of differential immune responses to COVID-19. This investigation delves into the Ig-G anti-RBD marker, scrutinizing its potential correlations with sex, vaccine type, body fat percentage, metabolic risk, perceived stress, and previous COVID-19 exposure. Methods In this study, data were obtained from 116 participants from the ESFUERSO cohort, who completed questionnaires detailing their COVID-19 experiences and stress levels assessed through the SISCO scale. Quantification of Ig-G anti-RBD concentrations was executed using an ELISA assay developed by UNAM. Multiple regression analysis was adeptly employed to control for covariates, including sex, age, body fat percentage, BMI, and perceived stress. Results This sample comprised young individuals (average age of 21.4 years), primarily consisting of females (70%), with a substantial proportion reporting a family history of diabetes, hypertension, or obesity. Most students had received the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines, and 91% displayed a positive anti-RBD response. A noteworthy finding was the interaction between body fat percentage and sex. In males, increased adiposity was associated with a decrease in Ig-G anti-RBD concentration, while in females, the response increased. Importantly, this trend was consistent regardless of the vaccine received. No significant associations were observed for variables such as dietary habits or perceived stress. Conclusions In summation, this research reports the impact of both sex and body fat percentage on the immune response through Ig-G anti-RBD levels to COVID-19 vaccines. The implications of these findings offers a foundation for educational initiatives and the formulation of preventive policies aimed at mitigating health disparities. ### Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest. ### Funding Statement This study was supported by COTACYT-2021-01-23, Mexico. ### Author Declarations I confirm all relevant ethical guidelines have been followed, and any necessary IRB and/or ethics committee approvals have been obtained. Yes The details of the IRB/oversight body that provided approval or exemption for the research described are given below: The protocol and informed consent were approved by the Comite de Etica Institucional de la Unidad Academica Multidisciplinaria Reynosa-Aztlan (CEI-UAMRA) number registration CEI-UAMRA 005/2019/CEI under Health normativity (NOM-012-SSA-3-212). All participants signed the approved informed consent. I confirm that all necessary patient/participant consent has been obtained and the appropriate institutional forms have been archived, and that any patient/participant/sample identifiers included were not known to anyone (e.g., hospital staff, patients or participants themselves) outside the research group so cannot be used to identify individuals. Yes I understand that all clinical trials and any other prospective interventional studies must be registered with an ICMJE-approved registry, such as ClinicalTrials.gov. I confirm that any such study reported in the manuscript has been registered and the trial registration ID is provided (note: if posting a prospective study registered retrospectively, please provide a statement in the trial ID field explaining why the study was not registered in advance). Yes I have followed all appropriate research reporting guidelines, such as any relevant EQUATOR Network research reporting checklist(s) and other pertinent material, if applicable. Yes Data will be available in the UTRGV repository open as CC BY. [https://scholarworks.utrgv.edu/cgi/ir\_submit.cgi?context=som\_pub][1] We attached the file that will be upload in the UTRGV repository [1]: https://scholarworks.utrgv.edu/cgi/ir_submit.cgi?context=som_pub