title: Childhood obesity in specialist care--searching for a healthy obese child.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  One in three obese adults is classified as metabolically healthy, but there is less evidence in obese children. We studied the overall clinical presentation of Finnish obese children and the prevalence of cardiometabolic risk factors with child-specific cut-offs.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a cross-sectional register-based study of 2-18-year-old children (n = 900) evaluated for obesity in three hospitals in 2005-2012. Clinical and metabolic data were related to sex, age, puberty, and obesity grade and analyzed using chi-square and non-parametric tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 80% of cases at least one cardiovascular risk factor was present. Only 3% of subjects for whom complete metabolic data were available (n = 360) had no metabolic disorder. Systolic blood pressure was hypertensive in 50.2% and diastolic in 14.5% of the children. The youngest children had highest body mass index SD score. Obesity was more severe in boys than girls (p < 0.001). Hypertensive systolic blood pressure values (p = 0.012), prediabetes (p < 0.001), fatty liver (p < 0.001), and dyslipidemia (p = 0.025) were more prevalent in 15-18-year-old boys than girls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most obese children in specialist care have cardiovascular risk factors; this indicates that earlier intervention is needed.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Pediatrics , North Karelia Central Hospital , Joensuu , Finland ;|b Department of Pediatrics , University of Eastern Finland , Kuopio , Finland ;
authors.forename: Marketta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dalla Valle
authors.affiliation: c Institute of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition, University of Eastern Finland , Kuopio , Finland ;|d Health Department , National Institute for Health and Welfare , Helsinki , Finland ;|e North Karelia Hospital District , Joensuu , Finland ;
authors.forename: Tiina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Laatikainen
authors.affiliation: f School of Medicine , University of Eastern Finland , Kuopio , Finland ;
authors.forename: Tomi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kalliokoski
authors.affiliation: g Department of Pediatrics , Mikkeli Central Hospital , Mikkeli , Finland ;
authors.forename: Päivi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nykänen
authors.affiliation: b Department of Pediatrics , University of Eastern Finland , Kuopio , Finland ;|h Department of Pediatrics , Kuopio University Hospital , Kuopio , Finland.
authors.forename: Jarmo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jääskeläinen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D013038:Specialization
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose
keywords: Adolescent; blood glucose; blood pressure; child; dyslipidemias; fatty liver; hyperinsulinism; metabolism; obesity