Low-grade systemic inflammation in overweight children.
OBJECTIVE
Human adipose tissue expresses and releases the proinflammatory cytokine interleukin-6, potentially inducing low-grade systemic inflammation in persons with excess body fat. To limit potential confounding by inflammation-related diseases and subclinical cardiovascular disease, we tested the hypothesis that overweight is associated with low-grade systemic inflammation in children.


METHODS
The third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1988-1994, a representative sample of the US population.


METHODS
A total of 3512 children 8 to 16 years of age.


METHODS
Elevated serum C-reactive protein concentration (CRP; >/=.22 mg/dL) and white blood cell count (10(9) cells/L).


RESULTS
Elevated CRP was present in 7.1% of the boys and 6.1% of the girls. Overweight children (defined as having a body mass index or a sum of 3 skinfolds (triceps, subscapula, and supra-iliac) above the gender-specific 85th percentile) were more likely to have elevated CRP than were their normal-weight counterparts. After adjustment for potential confounders, including smoking and health status, the odds ratio (OR) was 3.74 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.66-8.43) for overweight boys and the OR was 3.17 (95% CI: 1.60-6.28) for overweight girls, based on the body mass index. Based on the sum of 3 skinfolds, these ORs were 5.11 (95% CI: 2.36-11.06) and 2.89 (95% CI: 1.49-5.59) for boys and girls, respectively. Overweight was also associated with statistically significant higher white blood cell counts. The results were similar when restricted to healthy, nonsmoking, nonestrogen-using children.


CONCLUSIONS
In children 8 to 16 years of age, overweight is associated with higher CRP concentrations and higher white blood cell counts. These findings suggest a state of low-grade systemic inflammation in overweight children. inflammation, obesity, children.
Visser
M
M
Institute for Research in Extramural Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Bouter
L M
LM
McQuillan
G M
GM
Wener
M H
MH
Harris
T B
TB
D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000378:metabolism; D000886:Anthropometry; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D002648:Child; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D015897:Comorbidity; D015986:Confounding Factors, Epidemiologic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000378:metabolism; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000378:metabolism; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
D015415:Biomarkers; D002097:C-Reactive Protein