title: Plasma brain-derived neurotrophic factor in prepubertal obese children: results from a 2-year lifestyle intervention programme.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a neurotrophin potentially involved in the pathophysiology of obesity and metabolic syndrome in adults. In children, it has scarcely been studied.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To analyse plasma BDNF and its relationship with metabolic syndrome components before and after 2 years of a lifestyle intervention programme in a prepubertal obese cohort.
  
  
  METHODS
  Case-control study with a 2-year prospective follow-up in a referral paediatric endocrine outpatient centre.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-three prepubertal obese children, 8·03 ± 1·08 years old, and 47 age- and gender-matched lean controls were studied. Anthropometric parameters, blood pressure, platelet count (PLT), oral glucose tolerance test, homoeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), lipid profile, BDNF, diet and physical activity were evaluated. Weight loss was considered if z-score body mass index (BMI) decreased at least 0·5 SD.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At baseline, BDNF tended to be lower in prepubertal obese children compared with lean controls (P = 0·076). BDNF did not correlate with any metabolic syndrome component. After 2 years, obese patients showed an increase in BDNF. Regression model analysis adjusted by age, sex, puberty, BMI, PLT and HOMA-IR showed that BDNF increased in subjects who lost weight (P = 0·036), practiced sports (P = 0·008) and had an adequate carbohydrate intake (P = 0·032).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Plasma BDNF tends to be lower in obese prepubertal children than in lean controls, is not related to any other metabolic syndrome component and increases after a lifestyle intervention programme.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatric Endocrine, Sabadell Hospital, Parc Tauli Corporation, University Autonomous of Barcelona, Sabadell, Spain.
authors.forename: Raquel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Corripio
authors.forename: José-Miguel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Gónzalez-Clemente
authors.forename: Pérez-Sánchez
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Jacobo
authors.forename: Näf
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Silvia
authors.forename: Gallart
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lluis
authors.forename: Vendrell
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Joan
authors.forename: Caixàs
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Assumpta
mesh_terms: D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior
chemical_list: D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor