title: Fitness and metabolic syndrome in obese fatty liver children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Metabolic Syndrome (MS) is highly prevalent among obese children with fatty liver. However, it is well-known that there is a lower prevalence of MS in individuals with higher cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To analyse the association between CRF with features of the MS in obese children that present fat liver indicators, namely abnormal alanine aminotransferase (ALT) values.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 79 obese students (40 girls), 10-11 year-olds ( ± 0.60), with abnormal serum ALT from Porto public schools comprised the sample. Measurements included CRF (20-metre Shuttle Run Test), Metabolic Risk Factors (MRF), according to MS International Diabetes Federation criteria, ALT values (Cholestech LDX(®) analyser) and maturational stage (Tanner criteria). Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the influence of CRF on MRF adjusted for sex, maturation, and BMI.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The logistic regression showed that, despite being classified as being obese and presenting abnormal levels of ALT, those classified as fit were less likely to have MS than their unfit counterparts (OR = 0.52; p ≤ 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Obese-fit children with abnormal ALT values have a significant reduction in the likelihood to be classified as having MS, even after adjustments for gender, maturation and BMI, Thus, CRF might be an important factor for tackling fatty liver among obese.
authors.affiliation: High Education Institute from Maia/Research Centre in Physical Activity, Health and Leisure, Porto, Portugal. clarice.br@fade.up.pt
authors.forename: Clarice
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.forename: Andreia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pizarro
authors.forename: Luísa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Aires
authors.forename: Gustavo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mota
authors.forename: Maria Paula
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Santos
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood*; D001794:Blood Pressure; D001827:Body Height; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010809:Physical Fitness; D015995:Prevalence; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D055105:Waist Circumference
chemical_list: D000410:Alanine Transaminase