title: High-sensitivity C-reactive protein is a predictive factor of adiposity in children: results of the identification and prevention of dietary- and lifestyle-induced health effects in children and infants (IDEFICS) study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Whereas cross-sectional studies have shown that obesity is associated with increased C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in children, little is known about the impact of low-grade inflammation on body mass changes during growth.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We assessed cross-sectionally and longitudinally the association of high-sensitivity (hs)-CRP levels with overweight/obesity and related cardiometabolic risk factors in the Identification and prevention of Dietary- and lifestyle-induced health Effects in Children and InfantS (IDEFICS) cohort. 16 224 children from 8 European countries (2 to 9 years) were recruited during the baseline survey (T0). After the exclusion of 7187 children because of missing hs-CRP measurements and 2421 because of drug use during the previous week, the analysis was performed on 6616 children (Boys=3347; Girls=3269; age=6.3 ± 1.7 years). Of them, 4110 were reexamined 2 years later (T1). Anthropometric variables, blood pressure, hs-CRP, blood lipids, glucose and insulin were measured. The population at T0 was divided into 3 categories, according to the baseline hs-CRP levels. Higher hs-CRP levels were associated with significantly higher prevalence of overweight/obesity, body mass index (BMI) z-score and central adiposity indices (P values all <0.0001), and with higher blood pressure and lower HDL-cholesterol levels. Over the 2-year follow-up, higher baseline hs-CRP levels were associated with a significant increase in BMI z-score (P<0.001) and significantly higher risk of incident overweight/obesity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Higher hs-CRP levels are associated to higher body mass and overweight/obesity risk in a large population of European children. Children with higher baseline levels of hs-CRP had a greater increase in BMI z-score and central adiposity over time and were at higher risk of developing overweight/obesity during growth.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Epidemiology and Population Genetics, Institute of Food Sciences, National Research Council, Avellino, Italy.
authors.forename: Annunziata
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nappo
authors.forename: Licia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Iacoviello
authors.forename: Arno
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fraterman
authors.forename: Esther M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Gonzalez-Gil
authors.forename: Charis
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hadjigeorgiou
authors.forename: Staffan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Marild
authors.forename: Denes
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Molnar
authors.forename: Luis A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Moreno
authors.forename: Jenny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Peplies
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sioen
authors.forename: Toomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Veidebaum
authors.forename: Alfonso
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Siani
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Russo
mesh_terms: D050154:Adiposity; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood; D050177:Overweight / Q000097:blood*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D002097:C-Reactive Protein
keywords: C‐reactive protein; inflammation; pediatric obesity; population