Relationship between Anthropometric Measures and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Children and Adolescents

Abstract

BackgroundObesity has been identified as an important risk factor in the development of cardiovascular diseases; however, other factors, combined or not with obesity, can influence cardiovascular risk and should be considered in cardiovascular risk stratification in pediatrics. ObjectiveTo analyze the association between anthropometry measures and cardiovascular risk factors, to investigate the determinants to changes in blood pressure (BP), and to propose a prediction equation to waist circumference (WC) in children and adolescents. MethodsWe evaluated 1,950 children and adolescents, aged 7 to 18 years. Visceral fat was assessed by WC and waist hip relationship, BP and body mass index (BMI). In a randomly selected subsample of these volunteers (n = 578), total cholesterol, glucose and triglycerides levels were evaluated. ResultsWC was positively correlated with BMI (r = 0.85; p < 0.001) and BP (SBP r = 0.45 and DBP = 0.37; p < 0.001). Glycaemia and triglycerides showed a weak correlation with WC (r = 0.110; p = 0.008 e r = 0.201; p < 0.001, respectively). Total cholesterol did not correlate with any of the variables. Age, BMI and WC were significant predictors on the regression models for BP (p < 0.001). We propose a WC prediction equation for children and adolescents: boys: y = 17.243 + 0.316 (height in cm); girls: y = 25.197 + 0.256 (height in cm). ConclusionWC is associated with cardiovascular risk factors and presents itself as a risk factor predictor of hypertension in children and adolescents. The WC prediction equation proposed by us should be tested in future studies.

Metabolic syndrome among children and adolescents from Southern Italy: Contribution from the Calabrian Sierras Community Study (CSCS)

“…Direct comparisons with currently available pediatric data from geographically-and ethnic-defined populations are difficult as either age-ranges differ from those reported here (6-14 years) being in general much larger and rightward displaced (10-18 years) [33,34] or the investigations just concentrated on anthropometric (WC, waist-hip relationship, WC/height ratio, BMI) versus fewer cardiovascular risk factors (mainly systolic and diastolic BP) [35][36][37][38][39][40][41] often measured in scanty subsamples [35]. However, among children and adolescents of both genders, WC in countries and populations largely different, from Brazil [35] to China [36][37][38] and from Mexico [40] to Germany [41] was a predictor of BP, better than BMI, particularly when the WC/height ratio was used [39,40].…”

“…However, among children and adolescents of both genders, WC in countries and populations largely different, from Brazil [35] to China [36][37][38] and from Mexico [40] to Germany [41] was a predictor of BP, better than BMI, particularly when the WC/height ratio was used [39,40]. On the other hand, there were only two large and recent school-based studies in Emirati [33] and Iranian [34] children and adolescents whereby the association of anthropometric measures with cardiovascular risk factors and MS were investigated either in overall subjects [33] or in normal-weight individuals [34].…”

The Presence of Risk Factors for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Underserved Preschool Children

“…Dyslipidemia is also associated with obesity, and previous studies have demonstrated strong relationships between blood lipid levels and anthropometry in preschool and school-aged children. [22][23][24][25] Two particularly consistent relationships are the association of increased height with a more favorable blood lipid profile and of obesity with a less favorable blood lipid profile among children. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute recommends total cholesterol values remain less than 170 mg/dL in children and adolescents aged 2 to 19 years and consider any value greater than 200 mg/dL to be high.…”

Indicadores De Atividade Física E Sedentarismo Associados Ao Sobrepeso/Obesidade Em Escolares

“…Porém, outros fatores também parecem influenciar e devem ser considerados na análi-se de fatores de riscos associados ao desenvolvimento desta comorbidade. 5 Entre esses fatores, destaca-se a dislipidemia, 4 resistência periférica à insulina, maiores níveis de colesterol e triglicerídeos séricos, 6 hipertensão arterial 7 e apnéia do sono. 5 Estudo recente apontou que a obesidade atinge também a função pulmonar, apresentando alta prevalência em crianças com asma, sendo que a cada duas crianças asmática uma apresenta também excesso de peso 8 .…”