title: Implications of gastrointestinal hormones in the pathogenesis of obesity in prepubertal children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is a worsening high prevalence of global obesity. Special attention has been paid to the gut-endocrine system, represented by the regulators of appetite. In particular, it has been suggested that ghrelin ("hunger" peptide), and obestatin and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) ("satiety" peptides) could play important roles in the pathogenesis of obesity.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aims of this study were to compare fasting plasma ghrelin, obestatin, and GLP-1 levels between obese and nonobese prepubertal children, and to assess their relations with fatness indexes and insulin resistance (IR).
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-two prepubertal obese children and 22 controls were enrolled. Fasting levels of gastrointestinal hormones (ghrelin, obestatin, and GLP-1), glucose, and insulin were evaluated. IR was assessed using the homeostasis model assessment of IR (HOMA-IR) index. Analysis was performed by Mann-Whitney U-test, Kruskal-Wallis test, and Spearman's correlation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Obese prepubertal children and normal-weight controls had similar age distribution. Obese children were more insulin resistant when compared to controls (HOMA-IR: p < 0.01 ). GLP-1 levels were significantly lower in obese children than in controls (p < 0.01). Obestatin was significantly higher in obese than normal-weight children (p < 0.01), while ghrelin was not different. There was a negative correlation between GLP-1 and standard deviation score-body mass index (r = -0.36, p = 0.009) and between GLP-1 and waist circumference (r = -0.45, p = 0.001), while no association was observed with HOMA-IR.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  GLP-1 levels have been shown to be correlated with adiposity indexes, but not with HOMA-IR, suggesting that this hormone could play an important role in the early development of obesity.
authors: Department of Pediatrics, University of Chieti, Via Dei Vestini 5, 66100 Chieti, Italy. cinzia.bascietto@virgilio.it
authors: Cinzia
authors: C
authors: Bascietto
authors: Cosimo
authors: C
authors: Giannini
authors: Ebe
authors: E
authors: D'Adamo
authors: Tommaso
authors: T
authors: de Giorgis
authors: Francesco
authors: F
authors: Chiarelli
authors: Angelika
authors: A
authors: Mohn
mesh_terms: D050154:Adiposity; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005768:Gastrointestinal Hormones / Q000009:adverse effects*; D054439:Ghrelin / Q000009:adverse effects; D052216:Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D054795:Incretins / Q000009:adverse effects; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D055105:Waist Circumference
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D005768:Gastrointestinal Hormones; D054439:Ghrelin; D054795:Incretins; D007328:Insulin; D020738:Leptin; C505799:obestatin, human; D052216:Glucagon-Like Peptide 1