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Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
09:36

Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study

Published on: February 2, 2017

Overweight in children is associated with arterial endothelial dysfunction and intima-media thickening

K S Woo1, P Chook, C W Yu

  • 1Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong. kamsangwoo@cuhk.edu.hk

International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders : Journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity
|June 2, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Mild-to-moderate obesity in children is linked to early signs of arterial disease. Overweight children show impaired arterial endothelial function and increased carotid intima-media thickness, indicating potential atherosclerosis risks.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Cardiology
  • Vascular Biology
  • Public Health Nutrition

Background:

  • Childhood obesity is a growing concern with potential long-term cardiovascular implications.
  • Early detection of atherosclerosis markers in children is crucial for timely intervention.
  • Arterial endothelial function and carotid intima-media thickness are recognized as early indicators of vascular disease.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate arterial endothelial function and carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) in overweight children compared to normal-weight children.
  • To identify early markers of atherosclerosis in pediatric obesity.
  • To assess the relationship between overweight/obesity and vascular health in children.

Main Methods:

  • A case-control study comparing 36 overweight children (BMI>23) with 36 age- and gender-matched nonobese healthy children (BMI<21).
  • Key measurements included body mass index (BMI), arterial endothelial function (endothelium-dependent dilation), and carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT).
  • Secondary parameters included body fat content, waist-hip ratio (WHR), blood pressure, blood lipids, insulin, and glucose levels.

Main Results:

  • Overweight children exhibited significantly impaired arterial endothelial function (6.6% vs 9.7%) and increased carotid IMT (0.49 mm vs 0.45 mm) compared to controls.
  • Higher BMI, body fat, WHR, fasting insulin, and triglyceride levels were observed in the overweight group.
  • The degree of endothelial dysfunction correlated with BMI, even after adjusting for other factors.

Conclusions:

  • Mild-to-moderate obesity in children is independently associated with abnormal arterial function and structure.
  • These findings highlight the presence of early atherosclerotic changes in overweight children.
  • Early identification and management of childhood obesity are essential to prevent long-term cardiovascular complications.
Abstract

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