Reduced serum total osteocalcin is associated with central obesity in Korean children.
BACKGROUND
Recently, osteocalcin (OC), an osteoblast-derived hormone, has been suggested as a new link between obesity and insulin resistance in humans. However, few studies regarding the relationship between OC and obesity in Asian children have been published. We investigated the association of OC with adiposity, insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome (MetS) in Korean children.


METHODS
Two hundred and nine (100 boys, 109 girls) children (age: 9.78 ± 1.05 years, body mass index (BMI): 22.27 ± 5.34 kg/m(2)) participated in this cross-sectional study. Anthropometric parameters, insulin resistance, lipid profiles, total OC, and an inflammatory marker, C-reactive protein (CRP), were measured. MetS phenotype was also determined.


RESULTS
Serum total OC levels were significantly lower in overweight or obese children (76.96 ± 27.08 ng/ml vs. 66.91 ± 21.39 ng/ml, p = 0.020) and it was negatively associated with body fat after controlling for age, gender and BMI. Serum total OC concentrations were significantly lower in participants with central obesity or at least two components of MetS driven by waist circumference than they were in those with none. Stepwise linear regression results also showed that serum total OC was partially explained by age, gender, waist-to-hip ratio, and fasting glucose.


CONCLUSIONS
This study supported a negative association between serum total OC and adiposity in children. OC may be associated with childhood central obesity; however, further research using more accurate measurements is needed to identify the association between these variables.
Department of Nursing Environments and Systems, Yonsei University College of Nursing, Nursing Policy Research Institute, Republic of Korea.
Gwang Suk
GS
Kim
Faculty of Exercise and Sports Sciences, College of Natural Science, Jeju National University, Republic of Korea.
Yoonsuk
Y
Jekal
Department of Family Health Care, Yonsei University College of Nursing, Nursing Policy Research Institute, Biobehavioral Research Center, Republic of Korea.
Hee Soon
HS
Kim
Sport and Medicine Research Center, INTOTO, Inc., Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Jee-Aee
JA
Im
Yonsei University College of Nursing, Republic of Korea.
Ji Young
JY
Park
Department of Clinical Nursing Science, Yonsei University College of Nursing, Nursing Policy Research Institute, Biobehavioral Research Center, Republic of Korea. Electronic address:shchu@yuhs.ac.
Sang Hui
SH
Chu
D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D056128:Obesity, Abdominal / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D015675:Osteocalcin / Q000097:blood* / Q000172:deficiency; D010641:Phenotype; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D056910:Republic of Korea; D012307:Risk Factors; D055105:Waist Circumference
D001786:Blood Glucose; D008055:Lipids; D015675:Osteocalcin; D002097:C-Reactive Protein