title: Determination of glycemia and insulinemia and the homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) in schoolchildren and adolescents with normal body mass index.
abstract: 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.
authors: Centro de Estudos de Saúde e Nutrição Infanto-Juvenil (CESNI), Universidade de Ribeirão Preto (UNAERP), Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil. calno@convex.com.br
authors: Carlos A N de
authors: CA
authors: Almeida
authors: Adriana P
authors: AP
authors: Pinho
authors: Rubens G
authors: RG
authors: Ricco
authors: Maria Tereza
authors: MT
authors: Pepato
authors: Iguatemy Lourenço
authors: IL
authors: Brunetti
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin