title: Effect of recovery from obesity on cardiovascular risk factors among Japanese schoolchildren: the Iwata population-based follow-up study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The effect of recovery from obesity on cardiovascular risk factors is not well understood in Japanese children.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed follow-up data from the Iwata city population-based study of schoolchildren in Japan. The Iwata Board of Education conducted health screenings of children aged 10 and 14 years. A total of 914 children aged 10 years (451 boys and 463 girls, 87.1% of all children in the city in 1997) were followed until 14 years of age and classified by pattern of obesity as Normal, Recovered, Worsened, or Persistent.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 914 children, 111 (12%) were obese at 10 years of age. Of those children, 44 (40%) were no longer obese at 14 years (ie, Recovered). At follow-up, Recovered boys had the greatest decrease in non-HDL cholesterol (mean ± SE, -21.3 ± 3.6 mg/dL) among the 4 groups, and Recovered girls had a significantly lower level of non-HDL cholesterol (Recovered, 107.1 ± 5.4 mg/dL vs. Persistent, 126.1 ± 4.5 mg/dL). The Recovered boys also had a significantly higher level of HDL cholesterol at age 14 (Recovered, 67.2 ± 2.7 mg/dL vs. Persistent, 53.3 ± 2.1 mg/dL). In the Recovered group, 68% of children who were dyslipidemic at baseline had normal cholesterol levels at age 14. The recovery rate from dyslipidemia was significantly higher in the Recovered group (cumulative incidence rate ratio, 2.5; 95% confidence interval, 1.4-4.7) as compared with the Persistent group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dyslipidemia was reversed in children who recovered from obesity. Our findings suggest that reducing obesity is beneficial to the health of Japanese schoolchildren.
authors: Department of Public Health, Kinki University, Osaka-Sayama, Japan. kouda@med.kindai.ac.jp
authors: Katsuyasu
authors: K
authors: Kouda
authors: Yuki
authors: Y
authors: Fujita
authors: Harunobu
authors: H
authors: Nakamura
authors: Hiroichi
authors: H
authors: Takeuchi
authors: Masayuki
authors: M
authors: Iki
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D002648:Child; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution
chemical_list: D008076:Cholesterol, HDL