BMI and hyperinsulinemia in children.
OBJECTIVE
Overweight is associated with hyperinsulinemia in adults and children. The aim of our study was to test if body mass index (BMI) alone or in combination with waist circumference (WC) predicts hyperinsulinemia in individual children.


METHODS
In 466 healthy German schoolchildren aged 7 to 12 years enrolled in the population based PEP Family Heart Study, anthropometric data, standard laboratory data and fasting serum insulin concentrations were assessed.


RESULTS
Among children with hyperinsulinemia (fasting serum insulin concentrations>85th age specific percentile), 56% were not overweight (BMI-for-age<85th percentile). Among overweight children, 54% were normoinsulinemic. Increased waist circumference (WC for age and gender>85th percentile) was not a better predictor of hyperinsulinemia, neither alone nor in combination with BMI.


CONCLUSIONS
Overweight and abdominal obesity are poor indicators of hyperinsulinemia in individual German school children aged 7 to 12 years. Insulin measurement seems to be necessary to reliably detect hyperinsulinemia.
Vogeser
Michael
M
Institute of Clinical Chemistry, University of Munich, Marchioninistr. 15, D-81377 Munich, Germany. Michael.Vogeser@med.uni-muenchen.de
Schwandt
Peter
P
Haas
Gerda-Maria
GM
Broedl
Uli C
UC
Lehrke
Michael
M
Parhofer
Klaus G
KG
D050153:Abdominal Fat / Q000378:metabolism; D001699:Biometry; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D005215:Fasting / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D006946:Hyperinsulinism / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000503:physiopathology; D050177:Overweight; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D055105:Waist Circumference
D001786:Blood Glucose; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D007328:Insulin; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol