[Adipokines and obesity in children and adolescents]

The alarming increase of the prevalence of overweight and obesity observed recently in childhood and adolescence is one of the major contemporary paediatric problems. The excess of the body weight leads to many co-morbidities that may develop during childhood, for example: cardiovascular diseases, metabolic disorders (diabetes and insulin resistance), orthopaedic and psychiatric disorders. The last decade research showed that adipose tissue is not only a body lipid store but also an endocrine organ producing hormones named adipokines, including leptin, adiponectin, resistin, visfatin and many others. Adipokines play an important role in regulation of lipids and carbohydrates metabolism, appetite and energy expenditure. Recent data suggest that these hormones also have immunomodulating features and they that are involved in inflammatory processes leading to atherogenesis. This article presents current information about adipokines in childhood and adolescent obesity.