Overweight is highly prevalent in children with type 1 diabetes and associates with cardiometabolic risk.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the prevalence of traditional cardiometabolic risk factors and to assess the effect of overweight/obesity on the occurrence of these risk factors in a cohort of children with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM).


METHODS
Two hundred eighty-three consecutive patients (3 to 18 years of age) attending an outpatient clinic for T1DM care were included. The prevalence of cardiometabolic risk factors, the metabolic syndrome, and high alanine aminotransferase, were assessed before and after stratification for weight status.


RESULTS
Of all children (median age, 12.8 years; interquartile range, 9.9 to 16.0; median diabetes duration, 5.3 years; interquartile range, 2.9 to 8.6), 38.5% were overweight/obese (Z-body mass index > or =1.1). Overall, median HbA1c levels were 8.2% (interquartile range, 7.4 to 9.8), and HbA1c > or =7.5% was present in 73.9%. Microalbuminuria was found in 17.7%, high triglycerides (>1.7 mmol/L) in 17.3%, high LDL-cholesterol (>2.6 mmol/L) in 28.6%, low HDL-cholesterol (<1.1 mmol/L) in 21.2%, and hypertension in 13.1% of patients. In the overweight/obese children with T1DM, versus normal-weight children, a higher prevalence of hypertension (23.9% vs 5.7%), the metabolic syndrome (25.7% vs 6.3%), and alanine aminotransferase >30 IU/L (15.6% vs 4.5%) was found (all P < .05).


CONCLUSIONS
Overweight/obesity and cardiometabolic risk factors were highly prevalent in a pediatric cohort with T1DM. Hypertension, the metabolic syndrome, and high alanine aminotransferase were significantly more prevalent in overweight/obese compared with normal-weight children with T1DM.
van Vliet
Mariska
M
Department of Pediatrics, Slotervaart Hospital, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Diabetes Center/Department of Internal Medicine, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Van der Heyden
Josine C
JC
Diabeter, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Electronic address: J.vanderHeyden@diabeter.nl.
Diamant
Michaela
M
Diabetes Center/Department of Internal Medicine, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Von Rosenstiel
Inès A
IA
Department of Pediatrics, Slotervaart Hospital, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Schindhelm
Roger K
RK
Department of Clinical Chemistry, Isala Clinics, Zwolle, The Netherlands.
Aanstoot
Henk J
HJ
Diabeter, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Veeze
Henk J
HJ
Diabeter, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000032:analysis; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors
D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D000410:Alanine Transaminase