Prevalence of metabolic complications in children with severe obesity.
BACKGROUND
The purpose of the present paper was to clarify the prevalence of metabolic complications in severely obese children.


METHODS
The subjects of the present study were 367 severely obese Japanese children in Tokushima, who were more than 150% of the standard weight for their sex and height (school grades 1-9; age range, 6-16 years). Data concerning anthropometric and metabolic parameters (body fat %, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, uric acid, blood glucose, serum insulin, alanine aminotransferase, and blood pressure) were analyzed.


RESULTS
The prevalence of each abnormality in obese children was high compared with that in the general population. Metabolic variables were correlated with each other. A total of 80.4% of severely obese children had at least one complication.


CONCLUSIONS
Severely obese children have various metabolic abnormalities even during their early school years. Intervention by primary physicians in cooperation with schools is needed for the prevention of lifestyle-related diseases.
Sei
Masako
M
Department of Human Genetics and Public Health, Graduate School of Medical Science, The University of Tokushima, Tokushima, Japan.
Nakatsu
Tadanori
T
Yuasa
Kyoko
K
Tanaka
Hisako
H
Munakata
Hokuma
H
Nakahori
Yutaka
Y
D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008659:Metabolic Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications*; D015995:Prevalence