Children recovered from malnutrition exhibit normal insulin production and sensitivity.
Protein-energy malnutrition promotes adaptive hormonal changes that result in stunting. A previous study showed that stunted children had increased insulin sensitivity and diminished pancreatic beta-cell function. The objectives of the present study were to analyse the glucose, insulin, homeostasis model assessment of insulin sensitivity (HOMA-S) and homeostasis model assessment of pancreatic beta-cell function (HOMA-B) levels after nutritional recovery. The recovered group (n 62) consisted of malnourished children after treatment at a nutrition rehabilitation centre. At the beginning of treatment their age was 2.41 (sd 1.28) and 2.31 (sd 1.08) years, weight-for-age Z score - 2.09 (sd 0.94) and - 2.05 (sd 0.55) and height-for-age Z score - 1.85 (sd 1.11) and - 1.56 (sd 0.90), for boys and girls respectively. The control group consisted of well-nourished children without treatment (n 26). After treatment, boys of the recovered group gained 1.29 (sd 1.06) Z scores of height-for-age and 1.14 (sd 0.99) Z scores of weight-for-age, and girls, 1.12 (sd 0.91) and 1.21 (sd 0.74) Z scores respectively. No differences were found between control and recovered groups in insulin levels for boys (P = 0.704) and girls (P = 0.408), HOMA-B for boys (P = 0.451) and girls (P = 0.330), and HOMA-S (P = 0.765) for boys and girls (P = 0.456) respectively. The present study shows that the changes observed previously in glucose metabolism and insulin were reverted in children who received adequate treatment at nutritional rehabilitation centres and showed linear catch-up.
Martins
Vinicius J B
VJ
Department of Physiology, Federal University of São Paulo, Sao Pãulo, Brazil. vifisio@ecb.epm.br
Martins
Paula A
PA
Neves
Janaína das
Jd
Sawaya
Ana L
AL
D000886:Anthropometry; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D015362:Child Nutrition Disorders / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D002664:Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004435:Eating / Q000502:physiology; D002149:Energy Intake / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006706:Homeostasis / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007228:Infant Nutrition Disorders / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D007328:Insulin / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D050417:Insulin-Secreting Cells / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011627:Puberty
D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin