title: Relation between serum osteocalcin levels and body composition in obese children.
abstract: Overweight and obesity may contribute to bone fractures in children; however, the mechanism involved is not clear. In this study, we assessed the relation between serum osteocalcin levels and body composition in obese children. A total of 79 children (ages 7-12 years) were recruited. Serum osteocalcin levels were negatively correlated with fat percentage and visceral fat area (r = -0.24 and r = -0.46, respectively, P < 0.05); however, no statistically significant association was found between obesity degree and serum osteocalcin levels (r = -0.29, P = 0.052). Serum osteocalcin levels were positively correlated with lean body mass, fat-free mass, and fat-free mass index (r = 0.24, 0.23, and 0.31, respectively; P < 0.05). In addition, serum osteocalcin levels were significantly lower in severely obese (44.46 ± 9.73 μg/mL) and moderately obese (48.72 ± 10.82 μg/mL) children than in mildly obese (55.43 ± 12.4 μg/mL) and overweight (54.36 ± 11.96 μg/mL) children (P = 0.02). These findings indicate that body composition is related to serum osteocalcin levels in overweight and obese children.
authors.affiliation: *Department of Clinical Nutrition, Xin Hua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine †Shanghai Institute for Pediatric Research, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Jing-Wen
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Qing-Ya
authors.initials: QY
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Hui-Juan
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Ruan
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Cai
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001823:Body Composition; D050218:Body Fat Distribution; D001825:Body Fluid Compartments / Q000378:metabolism*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000378:metabolism*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D050152:Intra-Abdominal Fat / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000097:blood; D015675:Osteocalcin / Q000097:blood*; D050177:Overweight; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D015675:Osteocalcin