Metabolic syndrome in childhood obesity.
OBJECTIVE
We determined the frequency of metabolic risk factors and the prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome in childhood obesity.


METHODS
186 obese children (97 females and 89 males), aged 11.2 +/- 2.8 (6-16) years and 98 healthy children (46 females and 52 males), aged 10.9 +/- 3.2 (6-16) years were recruited for the study, as study and control groups, respectively.


METHODS
Subjects were evaluated for anthropometry, blood pressure (BP) and biochemical cardiovascular risk factors. Metabolic syndrome was defined in presence of > or = 3 of the following: (i) fasting triglyceride > or = 100 mg/dL; (ii) high density lipoprotein-cholesterol < 50 mg/dL, except in boys aged 15 to 19 years, in whom the cut-off point was 45 mg/dL; (iii) fasting glucose > or = 110 mg/dL; (iv) waist circumference > 75th percentile for age and gender and (v) systolic BP > 90th percentile.


RESULTS
We found that 144 (77.4%) children in the obese group had one, two or more cardiovascular risk factors. Using a pediatric definition, the prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 2.1%. In the control group, the clustering of one, two and three risk factors was very rare.


CONCLUSIONS
Childhood obesity is associated with increased frequency of cardiovascular risk factors and metabolic syndrome.
Serap
Semiz
S
Department of Pediatric Endocrinology, Pamukkale University School of Medicine, Denizli, Turkey. drssemiz@yahoo.com
Mevlüt
Bican
B
Inanç
Cakaloz
C
Ender
Semiz
S
D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D000886:Anthropometry; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009765:Obesity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D011336:Probability; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012016:Reference Values; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017678:Sex Distribution; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D055105:Waist Circumference