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Can the metabolic syndrome identify children with insulin resistance?

Valeria Hirschler1, Maria L Calcagno, Claudio Aranda

  • 1Nutrition Department, Durand Hospital, Buenos Aires, Argentina. vhirschler@intramed.net

Pediatric Diabetes
|September 14, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Pediatric metabolic syndrome criteria reliably identify insulin resistance in children. Homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) emerged as a key independent risk factor for metabolic syndrome in youth.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Endocrinology
  • Metabolic Disorders
  • Cardiovascular Risk Factors

Background:

  • Metabolic syndrome is linked to insulin resistance in adults.
  • Pediatric metabolic syndrome criteria, adapted from adult guidelines, require validation for pediatric populations.
  • Understanding pediatric metabolic syndrome is crucial for early intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the reliability of pediatric metabolic syndrome criteria in identifying insulin resistance in children.
  • To determine the association between metabolic syndrome components and insulin resistance.
  • To identify independent risk factors for pediatric metabolic syndrome.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study involving 167 children (aged 6.7 ± 3 years) categorized by BMI percentile: overweight (73), at risk of overweight (41), and normal-weight (53).
  • Measurements included waist circumference, blood pressure, oral glucose tolerance test, C-reactive protein, adiponectin, insulin, and lipids.
  • Homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) was calculated and analyzed against metabolic syndrome components and prevalence.

Main Results:

  • The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 11.3% overall and 21.9% in overweight children.
  • Increased waist circumference and low high-density lipoprotein were common findings.
  • Higher HOMA-IR values correlated significantly with the number of metabolic syndrome components (p < 0.0001).
  • HOMA-IR was identified as the sole independent risk factor for metabolic syndrome in children, adjusted for age and sex (p = 0.007).

Conclusions:

  • Insulin resistance, as indicated by HOMA-IR, plays a significant role in the pediatric metabolic syndrome.
  • The established criteria appear reliable for identifying children at risk.
  • Early detection of pediatric metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance may aid in predicting future cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes risk.
Abstract

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