Determination of glycemia and insulinemia and the homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) in schoolchildren and adolescents with normal body mass index.
OBJECTIVE
To determine fasting glycemia and insulinemia levels and the HOMA index in a group of children and adolescents with normal body mass index (BMI).


METHODS
This was a cross-sectional study conducted at two public schools in Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil. A total of 447 children and adolescents of both sexes, with normal BMI, aged 7 to 17.9 years and of average maturity for their age, underwent anthropometric measurements and provided personal data and a sample of venous blood so that glycemia, insulinemia and HOMA index could be determined. The results obtained for boys and girls were compared for each age range using the Mann-Whitney test. The results within each age band were then compared for boys and girls using the Kruskal-Wallis test.


RESULTS
Glycemia results varied from 7 to 8.9 years (p = 0.0005). Fasting insulinemia varied significantly with age in both sexes (p < 0.001), with the highest values observed among children aged 13 to 14.9 years. HOMA indices varied significantly with age in both boys and girls (p < 0.001), with values that increased progressively up to the age band of 13 and 14.9 years.


CONCLUSIONS
These data demonstrate the necessity of establishing reference curves for these three indicators.
Almeida
Carlos A N de
CA
Centro de Estudos de Saúde e Nutrição Infanto-Juvenil (CESNI), Universidade de Ribeirão Preto (UNAERP), Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil. calno@convex.com.br
Pinho
Adriana P
AP
Ricco
Rubens G
RG
Pepato
Maria Tereza
MT
Brunetti
Iguatemy Lourenço
IL
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis*; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005215:Fasting / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006706:Homeostasis / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D012016:Reference Values; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin