title: Type 2 diabetes increases risk for obesity among subsequent generations.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Childhood obesity is increasing worldwide. Although the prevalence of obesity is low in India, it is being perceived as an emerging problem among affluent urban Indian children. There is little information regarding the profile of obese Indian children. The aim of this study was to assess the clinical profile of children and adolescents attending our hospital (a tertiary-care center) with the main complaint of obesity or overweight.
  
  
  METHODS
  Children and adolescents attending our pediatric and adolescent endocrine clinic with the main complaint of overweight or obesity were included in this study. All subjects underwent detailed history, physical examination, hemogram liver function tests, oral glucose tolerance test, plasma insulin, and body fat estimation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred nine children (70 boys and 39 girls), ranging in age from 5 to 18 years (mean 13.8 +/- 2.9 years), were enrolled for the study. Twenty boys and 13 girls were overweight, while 50 boys and 26 girls were obese. Twenty-five of these children had hypertension, 48 had dyslipidemia, and 27 had abnormal glucose tolerance. Plasma insulin levels were significantly higher than what is observed in healthy lean controls. The most significant observation was that 75 children had grandparents and/or parents with diabetes mellitus. Possible reasons for this association are discussed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Children from families with diabetes mellitus are at risk for obesity. Hyperinsulinemia, by its action on the brain, induces behaviors and lifestyles conducive to obesity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Deepti
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chathurvedi
authors.forename: Rajesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Khadgawat
authors.forename: Bindu
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kulshrestha
authors.forename: Nandita
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: Angela A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Joseph
authors.forename: Sadanand
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Diwedi
authors.forename: Ariachery C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Ammini
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001823:Body Composition; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005220:Fathers; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D008055:Lipids