title: Ethnic differences in cardiometabolic risk profile in an overweight/obese paediatric cohort in the Netherlands: a cross-sectional study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Differences in prevalence of cardiometabolic risk factors between different ethnic groups are largely unknown. We determined the variation in cardiometabolic risk profile according to ethnicity in a cohort overweight/obese Dutch children.
  
  
  METHODS
  An oral glucose tolerance test was performed in 516 overweight/obese Dutch children of multi-ethnic origin, attending an obesity out-patient clinic of an urban general hospital (mean age 10.6 +/- 3.2; 55.2% boys). Anthropometric parameters and blood samples were collected, and the prevalence of (components of) the metabolic syndrome (MetS) and insulin resistance were determined in each ethnic group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Major ethnic groups were Dutch native (18.4%), Turkish (28.1%), and Moroccan (25.8%). The remaining group (27.7%) consisted of children with other ethnicities. Turkish children had the highest mean standardized BMI compared to Dutch native children (P < 0.05). As compared to Moroccan children, they had a higher prevalence of MetS (22.8% vs. 12.8%), low HDL-cholesterol (37.9% vs. 25.8%), hypertension (29.7% vs. 18.0%) and insulin resistance (54.9% vs. 37.4%, all P < 0.05). Although Turkish children also had higher prevalences of forementioned risk factors than Dutch native children, these differences were not statistically significant. Insulin resistance was associated with MetS in the Turkish and Moroccan subgroup (OR 6.6; 95%CI, 2.4-18.3 and OR 7.0; 95%CI, 2.1-23.1, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In a Dutch cohort of overweight/obese children, Turkish children showed significantly higher prevalences of cardiometabolic risk factors relative to their peers of Moroccan descent. The prospective value of these findings needs to be established as this may warrant the need for differential ethnic-specific preventive measures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Slotervaart Hospital, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. ma.vanvliet@vumc.nl
authors.forename: Mariska
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: van Vliet
authors.forename: Inès A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: von Rosenstiel
authors.forename: Roger K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Schindhelm
authors.forename: Desiderius P M
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Brandjes
authors.forename: Jos H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Beijnen
authors.forename: Michaela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Diamant
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000349:Africa / Q000208:ethnology; D000886:Anthropometry; D001208:Asia / Q000208:ethnology; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000208:ethnology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000208:ethnology; D007843:Latin America / Q000208:ethnology; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000208:ethnology*; D009018:Morocco / Q000208:ethnology; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D009765:Obesity / Q000208:ethnology; D050177:Overweight / Q000208:ethnology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D014421:Turkey / Q000208:ethnology
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin; D008055:Lipids