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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

Adverse metabolic profiles in a cohort of obese Irish children

F M Finucane1, L Teong, S Pittock

  • 1Metabolic Research Unit, Hospital 5, St James's Hospital, Dublin 8, Ireland. francis.finucane@mrc-epid.cam.ac.uk

Annals of Clinical Biochemistry
|March 8, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Obesity in Irish children is linked to poorer glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity. This pilot study suggests increased obesity correlates with lower insulin sensitivity and potential non-alcoholic steatohepatosis (NASH).

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Endocrinology
  • Metabolic Health
  • Hepatology

Background:

  • Metabolic profiles of obese Irish children remain underexplored.
  • Pilot study investigating obesity, glucose metabolism, insulin sensitivity, and non-alcoholic steatohepatosis (NASH) in Irish youth.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine the relationship between obesity severity and metabolic parameters in Irish children.
  • To assess glucose metabolism, insulin sensitivity, and markers of NASH in obese pediatric subjects.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective pilot study involving 18 obese Irish children (mean age 15.5 years).
  • Measurements included anthropometrics (height, weight, BMI, waist/hip circumference), blood pressure, fasting glucose, insulin, lipids, and alanine aminotransferase (ALT).
  • Oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) used to derive oral glucose insulin sensitivity (OGIS).

Main Results:

  • Significant associations found between obesity degree and insulin sensitivity.
  • Significant associations observed between obesity degree and liver steatosis markers (ALT).
  • Adjusted for pubertal status, higher standardized BMI correlated with lower insulin sensitivity (beta = -70.1, P = 0.018) and higher ALT (beta = 20.7, P = 0.007).

Conclusions:

  • Obesity severity is associated with reduced insulin sensitivity in obese Irish children.
  • Findings suggest a potential link between obesity and non-alcoholic steatohepatosis (NASH) in this population.
  • Highlights the need for further research into metabolic complications of childhood obesity in Ireland.
Abstract

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