title: Insulin and free fatty acid levels during oral glucose tolerance tests and their relation to age in 70 healthy children.
abstract: In 70 healthy children aged from three months to 15 years, blood glucose, immunoreactive insulin, and free fatty acids were measured during a three-hour glucose tolerance test. The results are presented for the whole group as well as for three age groups: three months-five years, six-10 years, and 11-15 years. It is demonstrated that (1) glucose levels are significantly lower in young children (younger than five years); (2) there are no significant age-related changes in free fatty acid concentration; (3) insulin levels are increasing constantly and significantly with age, the most strikingly at the age of onset of puberty; the absence of notable changes in glucose tolerance results in a rise of the I/G ratio as well. The causes for the increase of insulin secretion with age, whether of peripheral or pancreatic order, are still speculative.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D011627:Puberty
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified; D007328:Insulin