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Updated: Jun 23, 2026
Three-dimensional Inflammatory Human Tissue Equivalents of Gingiva
Published on: April 3, 2018
Adiposity and gingival crevicular fluid tumour necrosis factor-alpha levels in children
Roozbeh Khosravi1, Simon D Tran, Marie Lambert
1Epidemiology & Biostatistics Unit, INRS-Institut Armand-Frappier, QC, Canada.
Insights
Childhood obesity is linked to higher levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF). This association appears to be mediated by insulin resistance, particularly in boys.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Endocrinology
- Oral Health Research
- Obesity Studies
Background:
- Adiposity is a growing concern in pediatric populations.
- Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine implicated in metabolic and inflammatory conditions.
- Gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) can serve as a localized biomarker for systemic inflammation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between adiposity and GCF TNF-alpha levels in children.
- To determine if plasma fasting insulin mediates the relationship between adiposity and GCF TNF-alpha.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional data from the Quebec Adipose and Lifestyle InvesTigation in Youth (QALI) cohort.
- Participants included 76 girls and 102 boys aged 8-10 years.
- GCF TNF-alpha measured by ELISA; adiposity assessed by BMI percentiles; insulin resistance evaluated via fasting plasma insulin.
Main Results:
- Obesity in boys was associated with a 37% increase in GCF TNF-alpha levels.
- Accounting for insulin resistance reduced and eliminated this association.
- The inclusion of insulin resistance improved the model's goodness of fit.
Conclusions:
- Adiposity in children is linked to elevated GCF TNF-alpha levels.
- Insulin resistance appears to mediate the relationship between adiposity and GCF TNF-alpha in children.
- These findings highlight the potential role of metabolic factors in oral inflammation in pediatric obesity.
Aim:
To investigate whether adiposity is associated with gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) levels in children. We also examined whether this relationship is mediated through plasma fasting insulin.
Materials And Methods:
This preliminary study used cross-sectional data from the baseline-visit of the Quebec Adipose and Lifestyle InvesTigation in Youth cohort, which is an ongoing longitudinal study investigating the natural history of obesity in Quebec children. Study participants (76 girls and 102 boys) include children aged 8-10 years and their families, living in the Montreal and Quebec City areas. TNF-alpha level was measured in pooled samples (N=4) for each child by enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay. Height and weight were measured. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated as weight/height(2) (kg/m(2)). Sex/age-specific BMI was categorized into normal (<85th percentile), overweight (85th-95th percentile) and obese (>or=95th percentile) defined by the 2000 US-CDC growth charts. Insulin resistance was measured using fasting plasma insulin in children. Data analysis involved descriptive and multiple linear regression analyses.
Results:
Our results suggest that obesity in boys was associated with a 37% increase of GCF-TNF-alpha level. However, when accounting for insulin resistance this association was reduced and disappeared while the model's goodness of fit improved.
Conclusions:
These findings provide support for the link between adiposity in children and GCF-TNF-alpha level, which appears to be mediated by insulin resistance.