[Prevalence of metabolic syndrome and its components in obese children and adolescents].
OBJECTIVE
The aim of our study was to assess the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and other metabolic features in obese children.


METHODS
We studied 97 obese children and adolescents (body mass index > or = 95th percentile) aged between 6 and 14 years old. All children underwent an oral glucose tolerance test. The diagnoses of fasting impaired glucose, impaired glucose tolerance and type 2 diabetes were defined according de American Diabetes Association criteria. Diagnosis of metabolic syndrome was defined according de National Cholesterol Education Program-Adult Treatment Panel (NCEP-ATP III) criteria adapted for children.


RESULTS
Metabolic syndrome was found in 18.6 % of the children, with a higher rate among puberal children (26.2 %) than among prepuberal children (12.7 %). There were no significant differences by sex. The prevalence of each of the components was 10.3 % for abnormal glucose homeostasis (8.2 % in impaired fasting glucose, 5.4 % in impaired glucose tolerance, 1.1 % in type 2 diabetes), 97.9 % for abdominal obesity, 16.5 % for high triglyceride level, 15.5 % for low levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and 45.4 % for high blood pressure (40.2 % for systolic pressure and 22.7 % for diastolic pressure). Insulin resistance (HOMA-R > or = 3.8) was found in 45.4 % of the children, with a higher rate among children with metabolic syndrome (77.8 %).


CONCLUSIONS
Nearly 20 % of the obese children studied met the criteria for metabolic syndrome, a constellation of metabolic derangements associated with obesity. Insulin resistance was very common among children with obesity and metabolic syndrome.
Tapia Ceballos
L
L
Departamento de Pediatría, Hospital Costa del Sol, Marbella, Málaga, España. leotapiaceb@hotmail.com
López Siguero
J P
JP
Jurado Ortiz
A
A
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology