title: Does visceral adiposity index signify early metabolic risk in children and adolescents?: association with insulin resistance, adipokines, and subclinical inflammation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Visceral adiposity index (VAI) is a novel gender-specific index based on waist circumference (WC), BMI, and lipid parameters. Although VAI does not actually estimate visceral adiposity, it accurately reflects visceral fat function and insulin resistance. This index has not been studied in children thus far. This study aims to fill this gap.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a cohort of Saudi children and adolescents, anthropometric measurements and metabolic/hormonal profile were obtained.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 543 subjects, 292 of whom were boys, were included (mean age: 11.9 ± 3.3 y; BMI: 19.8 ± 5.6 kg/m(2)). In all subjects, VAI was inferior to BMI and WC regarding its correlations with adiponectin, leptin, insulin resistance (homeostasis model of assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR)), C-reactive protein (CRP) level, and systolic blood pressure, but it exhibited a stronger association with glucose in boys (r = 0.23; P < 0.01). In stepwise multivariate analyses, only BMI was consistent as an independent predictor of adiponectin, leptin, HOMA-IR, and CRP. VAI was the only index independently associated with glucose.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although VAI is related to glucose in children, it seems to be inferior to BMI in terms of association with insulin resistance, adipokines, and subclinical inflammation. Until specific studies can be performed in children, VAI should be extrapolated with caution in this age range.
authors.affiliation: 1] Biochemistry Department, Biomarkers Research Program, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia [2] Biochemistry Department, Prince Mutaib Chair for Biomarkers of Osteoporosis, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Nasser M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Al-Daghri
authors.affiliation: 1] Biochemistry Department, Biomarkers Research Program, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia [2] Biochemistry Department, Prince Mutaib Chair for Biomarkers of Osteoporosis, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia [3] Center of Excellence in Biotechnology Research, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Omar S
authors.initials: OS
authors.lastname: Al-Attas
authors.affiliation: 1] Biochemistry Department, Biomarkers Research Program, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia [2] Biochemistry Department, Prince Mutaib Chair for Biomarkers of Osteoporosis, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia [3] Center of Excellence in Biotechnology Research, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Majed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alokail
authors.affiliation: 1] Biochemistry Department, Biomarkers Research Program, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia [2] Biochemistry Department, Prince Mutaib Chair for Biomarkers of Osteoporosis, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia [3] Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Khalid
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Alkharfy
authors.affiliation: 1] Biochemistry Department, Biomarkers Research Program, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia [2] Biochemistry Department, Prince Mutaib Chair for Biomarkers of Osteoporosis, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Kaiser
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wani
authors.affiliation: 1] Biochemistry Department, Biomarkers Research Program, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia [2] Biochemistry Department, Prince Mutaib Chair for Biomarkers of Osteoporosis, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Osama E
authors.initials: OE
authors.lastname: Amer
authors.affiliation: 1] Biochemistry Department, Biomarkers Research Program, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia [2] Biochemistry Department, Prince Mutaib Chair for Biomarkers of Osteoporosis, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Saim
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ul Haq
authors.affiliation: 1] Biochemistry Department, Biomarkers Research Program, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia [2] Biochemistry Department, Prince Mutaib Chair for Biomarkers of Osteoporosis, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Shakilur
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rahman
authors.affiliation: 1] Biochemistry Department, Biomarkers Research Program, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia [2] Biochemistry Department, Prince Mutaib Chair for Biomarkers of Osteoporosis, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Abdullah M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Alnaami
authors.affiliation: 3rd University Department of Internal Medicine, Sotiria Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Sarantis
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Livadas
authors.affiliation: 3rd University Department of Internal Medicine, Sotiria Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Anastasios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kollias
authors.affiliation: First Department of Pediatrics, University of Athens School of Medicine, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Paris
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Charalampidis
authors.affiliation: 1] Biochemistry Department, Biomarkers Research Program, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia [2] Biochemistry Department, Prince Mutaib Chair for Biomarkers of Osteoporosis, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Shaun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sabico
mesh_terms: D052242:Adiponectin / Q000097:blood; D050154:Adiposity / Q000502:physiology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000886:Anthropometry / Q000379:methods*; D001786:Blood Glucose; D001794:Blood Pressure; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D050152:Intra-Abdominal Fat / Q000502:physiology*; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012529:Saudi Arabia; D012737:Sex Factors; D055105:Waist Circumference
chemical_list: D052242:Adiponectin; D001786:Blood Glucose; D020738:Leptin; D002097:C-Reactive Protein