Metabolic syndrome's risk factors and its association with nutritional status in schoolchildren

Abstract

The metabolic risk factors (RF) to the diagnosis of metabolic syndrome (MetS) have been evidenced at early ages, including children. The aim of the present study was to identify the prevalence of RF to the diagnosis of MetS and its association with nutritional status of schoolchildren from 6 to 10 years old. A cross-sectional study was carried out in 505 students of municipal schools in Macae, Brazil, conducted from 2013 to 2014. The RF evaluated were: blood pressure (mm Hg), triglycerides (mmol/L), HDL-cholesterol (mmol/L) fasting glucose (mmol/L) and waist circumference (cm). At least one RF was present in 61% (n = 308) of the sample. By nutritional status, there was higher prevalence of RF in overweight/obese schoolchildren compared to those with normal weight, except in the concentration of HDL-c. The prevalence of one, two and three RF (MetS) were 34.7% (n = 175), 21.0% (n = 106) and 5.3% (n = 27), respectively. Two RF were more present in overweight (28.2% 95%CI 19.0; 39.0) and obese (41.5% 95%CI 31.4; 52.1) compared to normal weight children (13.5% 95%CI 9.9; 17.8). Three or more RF were more frequent among obese (25.5% 95%CI 17.0; 35.5) in relation to overweight (2.4% 95%CI 0.2; 8.2) and normal weight children (0.3% 95%CI 0; 1.7). The data indicate high prevalence of RF and its relationship with the magnitude of body weight excess. Therefore, the identification and early treatment of these RF might minimize the risk of MetS and related diseases.

Waist circumference and abdominal volume index are the strongest anthropometric discriminators of metabolic syndrome in Spanish adolescents

“…On the other hand, all the parameters and anthropometric indexes analysed in this study (WC, BMI, WHR, WHtR, AVI, BAI, BAIp, BRI and C‐Index), as well as BF %, but not ABSI, showed higher values among the adolescents with MetS compared to the group without MetS. These results are in agreement with those reported by Pereira et al and Teixeira et al in Brazilian adolescents, who found higher WC, BMI and WHR values among subjects with MetS, as well as with those reported by Zhou et al for WHtR in 16 914 Chinese children and adolescents. These results highlight the importance of the distribution of the fatty tissue in the organism and its close relationship with the development of metabolic and cardiovascular disorders at an early age…”

Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Children and Adolescents With Obesity: Sex-Related Differences and Effect of Puberty

“…A number of studies have shown, both in the general population and in subjects with obesity, an adverse cardiometabolic profile in boys (5, 6, 14, 30, 31, 35–37), with higher WC, SP, Gly, and TG, and lower HDL (31, 36, 38), but higher Ins and HOMA in girls (35, 38). Conversely, other authors (13, 32, 34) found no sex related differences in CVRF. The mechanism underlying the sex differences in CVRF is not clearly and completely understood.…”

Relation between circulating oxidized-LDL and metabolic syndrome in children with obesity: the role of hypertriglyceridemic waist phenotype

“…Each element of the MetS worsens as waist circumference increases, independently of age, sex and pubertal status. Recent studies performed in adolescents with obesity showed that abdominal fat, rather than BMI, may be the main cause of metabolic impact [19,27]. This adverse metabolic phenotype is associated to OS, severe insulin resistance and alterations in glucose and lipid metabolism [25].…”