title: Association of serum hs-CRP and lipids with obesity in school children in a 12-month follow-up study in Japan.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the association of serum lipids and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) with obesity in school children and to explore whether hs-CRP levels could be used to predict the presence or absence of obesity 12 months later.
  
  
  METHODS
  The subjects were school children (6-11 years old) in Japan. Blood sampling and physical measurements were performed in school (2001); low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), triglycerides, and hs-CRP levels were measured. Data from children who could be followed 12 months later were analyzed. Subjects weighing 20% or more over his/her standard weight were regarded as obese, and the association of obesity with serum parameters was analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data from 612 subjects were analyzed (follow-up rate, 75.4%). The mean of each serum parameter was significantly higher (inverse for HDL-C; lower) in obese than that in non-obese children. Logistic regression analysis for obesity at baseline showed that the odds ratio (OR) of hs-CRP was the highest [OR, 2.15; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.65-2.78 for an interquartile rage (IQR) increase]; the association with triglycerides and LDL-C/HDL-C was significant. At the 12-month follow-up, the OR of high hs-CRP remained the highest of all serum parameters (2.09; 95% CI, 1.63-2.69 for an IQR increase).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High levels of triglycerides, LDL-C/HDL-C, and hs-CRP increased the risk of obesity in school children. Hs-CRP is considered to be a better predictor of obesity 12 months later than is LDL-C/HDL-C.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community and Geriatric Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, Mie University, 2-174 Edobashi, Tsu, Mie, 514-8507, Japan, ritsuko@nurse.medic.mie-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Ritsuko
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nishide
authors.forename: Michiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ando
authors.forename: Hidemitsu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Funabashi
authors.forename: Yoshiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yoda
authors.forename: Masataka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakano
authors.forename: Masayuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shima
mesh_terms: D001835:Body Weight; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis*; D002648:Child; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D008055:Lipids; D014280:Triglycerides; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D002784:Cholesterol