Metabolic Syndrome in Italian Obese Children and Adolescents: Stronger Association with Central Fat Depot than with Insulin Sensitivity and Birth Weight

Aim. To evaluate whether body fat distribution, birth weight, and family history for diabetes (FHD) were associated with metabolic syndrome (MetS) in children and adolescents. Methods. A total of 439 Italian obese children and adolescents (5–18 years) were enrolled. Subjects were divided into 2 grou...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International Journal of Hypertension 2011-01, Vol.2011 (2011), p.95-100
Main Authors: Brufani, Claudia, Fintini, Danilo, Giordano, Ugo, Tozzi, Alberto Enrico, Barbetti, Fabrizio, Cappa, Marco
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adipose tissues
Birth weight, Low
Cardiovascular diseases
Clinical Study
Complications and side effects
Health aspects
Metabolic syndrome X
Obesity in children
Physiological aspects
Prevention
Risk factors
Statistics
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Summary:Aim. To evaluate whether body fat distribution, birth weight, and family history for diabetes (FHD) were associated with metabolic syndrome (MetS) in children and adolescents. Methods. A total of 439 Italian obese children and adolescents (5–18 years) were enrolled. Subjects were divided into 2 groups: prepubertal and pubertal. MetS was diagnosed according to the adapted National Cholesterol Education Program criteria. Birth weight percentile, central obesity index (measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry), insulin sensitivity (ISI), and disposition index were evaluated. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to determine variables associated with MetS. Results. The prevalence of MetS was 17%, with higher percentage in adolescents than in children (21 versus 12%). In the overall population, central obesity index was a stronger predictor of MetS than insulin sensitivity and low birth weight. When the two groups were considered, central fat depot remained the strongest predictor of MetS, with ISI similarly influencing the probability of MetS in the two groups and birth weight being negatively associated to MetS only in pubertal individuals. Neither FHD nor degree of fatness was a significant predictor of MetS. Conclusion. Simple clinical parameters like increased abdominal adiposity and low birth weight could be useful tools to identify European obese adolescents at risk for metabolic complications.
ISSN:2090-0392
2090-0384
2090-0392
DOI:10.4061/2011/257168