Antioxidant enzymes activities in obese Tunisian children.
BACKGROUND
The oxidant stress, expected to increase in obese adults, has an important role in the pathogenesis of many diseases. It results when free radical formation is greatly increased or protective antioxidant mechanisms are compromised. The main objective of this study is to evaluate the antioxidant response to obesity-related stress in healthy children.


METHODS
A hundred and six healthy children (54 obese and 52 controls), aged 6-12 years old, participated in this study. The collected data included anthropometric measures, blood pressure, fasting glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides and enzymatic antioxidants (Superoxide dismutase: SOD, Catalase: CAT and Glutathione peroxidase: GPx).


RESULTS
The first step antioxidant response, estimated by the SOD activity, was significantly higher in obese children compared with normal-weight controls (p < 0.05). Mean activities of anti-radical GPx and CAT enzymes were not affected by the BMI increase. Although, total cholesterol levels were statistically higher in the obese group, there was no significant association with the SOD activity.


CONCLUSIONS
The obesity-related increase of the oxidant stress can be observed even in the childhood period. In addition to the complications of an increased BMI, obesity itself can be considered as an independent risk factor of free radical production resulting in an increased antioxidant response.
Unité de recherche «Eléments trace, radicaux libres, systèmes antioxydants et pathologies humaines», Faculté de médecine de Monastir, Université de Monastir, rue Avicenne, 5019 Monastir, Tunisia. sonia_sfar@yahoo.fr
Sonia
S
Sfar
Raoudha
R
Boussoffara
Mohamed Tahar
MT
Sfar
Abdelhamid
A
Kerkeni
D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism*; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D001794:Blood Pressure; D001835:Body Weight; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002374:Catalase / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D002648:Child; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005609:Free Radicals; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D012307:Risk Factors; D013053:Spectrophotometry; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D014416:Tunisia / Q000453:epidemiology
D000975:Antioxidants; D001786:Blood Glucose; D005609:Free Radicals; D006454:Hemoglobins; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol; D002374:Catalase; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase