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Changing relationships of obesity and dyslipidemia in Greek children: 1982-2002

Yannis Manios1, Faidon Magkos, George Christakis

  • 1Laboratory of Nutrition and Clinical Dietetics, Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Harokopio University, 70 El. Venizelou Avenue, 17671 Kallithea, Athens, Greece.

Preventive Medicine
|November 1, 2005
PubMed

Insights

Childhood obesity is rising, leading to more significant adverse changes in blood lipids like cholesterol and triglycerides in overweight and obese boys compared to normal-weight peers.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Endocrinology
  • Public Health Nutrition
  • Cardiovascular Risk Factors

Background:

  • Childhood overweight and obesity prevalence has surged globally over recent decades.
  • Limited understanding exists regarding the impact of increased adiposity on blood lipid profiles in children.
  • This study investigates the effects of adiposity on anthropometric and plasma lipid trends in Greek children.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine secular trends in anthropometric characteristics and plasma lipids.
  • To assess the influence of increasing adiposity on these trends in Greek children.
  • To compare changes between normal-weight and overweight/obese boys.

Main Methods:

  • Recruited 419-374 normal-weight and 109-246 overweight/obese boys in 1982 and 2002 (aged ~12 years).
  • Measured height, weight, Body Mass Index (BMI), Rohrer index.
  • Determined plasma lipids: Total Cholesterol (TC), HDL-C, LDL-C, Triglycerides (TG), and lipid ratios.

Main Results:

  • Overweight/obese boys showed greater increases in weight, BMI, and cholesterol ratios, and a decrease in HDL-C compared to normal-weight boys.
  • Height, LDL-C, and TG changes were similar in both groups.
  • Rohrer index increased significantly in overweight/obese boys but not in normal-weight boys.

Conclusions:

  • Secular increases in adiposity and adverse plasma lipid changes were more pronounced in overweight and obese children.
  • Qualitatively similar shifts in lipids were observed across the entire population.
  • Adiposity significantly impacts lipid profiles in growing children.
Abstract

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