Effect of obesity on inflammatory markers and renal functions

To examine the relationship between inflammation criteria and body mass index in otherwise-healthy obese schoolchildren and to evaluate the effect of obesity on renal functions.

Sixty-five otherwise-healthy obese children (median age 10.8 y, range 7.1-16.5 y; median body mass index 26.8 kg/m(2), range 19.9-38.7 kg/m(2)) and 20 healthy controls (median age 12.4 y, range 10.1-17.1 y; median body mass index 18.8 kg/m(2), range 17.3-23.1 kg/m(2)) were included. Blood and urine samples were taken from every child.

Children in the obese and control groups had similar age and sex distributions (p>0.05). Inflammatory mediators were higher in obese children (p<0.05). A significant positive correlation was found between glomerular filtration rate and body mass index in the whole study group (r=0.39, p=0.001). A positive correlation was found between body mass index standard deviation and inflammatory mediators and glomerular filtration rate. No significant difference existed regarding protein and microalbumin excretion in the urine.

Inflammatory mediators increased significantly in obese children, and the glomerular filtration rate increased as the body mass index increased. To prevent obesity-related complications in adulthood, it is important to take measures to prevent development of obesity during childhood.