Is a diagnosis of metabolic syndrome applicable to children?

To present the components of the metabolic syndrome in children and adolescents and to discuss how they are assessed in the pediatric population in addition to presenting the major metabolic syndrome classifications for the age group.

A review of literature published from 1986 to 2008 and found on MEDLINE databases.

The prevalence of childhood obesity has been increasing globally over recent decades and as a result its complications, such as diabetes mellitus, arterial hypertension and dyslipidemia, have also increased. The concept of metabolic syndrome, already common with adults, is now beginning to be applied to children through classifications using the criteria for adults modified for the younger age group. Notwithstanding, these classifications differ in terms of the cutoff points used and whether they employ body mass index or waist circumference to define obesity. The review presents these classifications, highlighting the points on which they differ and the debate about them.

If childhood obesity goes untreated, it will have severe consequences in the future. A number of models for classifying metabolic syndrome in children have been published, but there is considerable diversions between them. The criteria for classifying metabolic syndrome in children therefore need to be standardized in order to identify those people at greatest risk of future complications.