Etiologic and cardiovascular risk factors in obese children from Extremadura in Spain. Their relationship with insulin resistance and plasma adipocytokine levels.
OBJECTIVE
The aim was to investigate etiologic and cardiovascular risk factors in obese children from Extremadura, Spain, and their relationship with insulin resistance and plasma adipocytokine levels.


METHODS
The study included 373 children (age, 3-13 years) who were randomly selected from schools in the city and province of Badajoz and from two health centers in the Spanish autonomous community of Extremadura.


RESULTS
Some 9.5% of children were obese. Compared with normal weight children, obese children exhibited a greater weight gain in the first year of life (7.3+/-1.5 kg vs. 6.3+/-0.8 kg), were less physically active (9.6+/-7.2 h/week vs. 13.1+/-8.1 h/week), and had more screen time (18.0+/-12.4 h/week vs. 12.8+/-8.2 h/week), a lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level (46.0+/-11.4 mg/dL vs. 64.6+/-22.9 mg/dL), higher arterial systolic pressure (102.3+/-8.5 mmHg vs. 89.9+/-13.4 mmHg), increased insulin resistance (6.2+/-3.6 vs. 4.6+/-4.5), a higher level of leptinemia (24.8+/-13.8 ng/mL vs. 12.9+/-10.8 ng/mL) and a lower level of adiponectinemia (8.4+/-5.7 microg/mL vs. 15.6+/-7.9 microg/mL).


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings demonstrate that there is a relationship between a sedentary lifestyle and the development of insulin resistance and altered adipocytokines levels in obese children, and that these changes are related to a number of cardiovascular risk factors.
Torres
María D
MD
Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Extremadura, Badajoz, Spain.
Tormo
María A
MA
Campillo
Carlos
C
Carmona
María I
MI
Torres
Montaña
M
Reymundo
Mercedes
M
García
Purificación
P
Campillo
José E
JE
D052242:Adiponectin / Q000097:blood*; D000293:Adolescent; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications* / Q000378:metabolism*; D052243:Resistin / Q000097:blood*; D012307:Risk Factors; D013030:Spain
D052242:Adiponectin; D020738:Leptin; D052243:Resistin