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Insulin resistance in children: consensus, perspective, and future directions
Claire Levy-Marchal1, Silva Arslanian, Wayne Cutfield
1Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Unité 690, Hôpital Robert Debré, Université Paris Diderot, 75013 Paris, France.
Insights
Insulin resistance in children is a growing concern linked to cardiometabolic risk. Current screening methods lack justification, but lifestyle changes can improve insulin sensitivity.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Endocrinology
- Metabolic Health
- Childhood Obesity
Background:
- Insulin resistance is increasingly prevalent in children and adolescents.
- It is associated with significant cardiometabolic risk factors.
- Current understanding and management strategies require clarification.
Framework:
- A consensus conference addressed key issues in pediatric insulin resistance.
- Working groups focused on definition, measurement, risk factors, prevention, and treatment.
- International scientific societies provided support and expertise.
Implementation:
- Literature reviews informed group discussions and document finalization.
- A systematic search identified relevant articles on pediatric insulin resistance.
- Debates and agreements were reached during a 3-day meeting.
Implications:
- Clear diagnostic criteria for pediatric insulin resistance are lacking.
- Surrogate markers like fasting insulin are unreliable for assessing insulin sensitivity.
- Screening children for insulin resistance is not currently recommended.
- Lifestyle interventions (diet, exercise) are effective for improving insulin sensitivity.
- Pharmacological treatment should be reserved for select cases.
Objective:
Emerging data indicate that insulin resistance is common among children and adolescents and is related to cardiometabolic risk, therefore requiring consideration early in life. However, there is still confusion on how to define insulin resistance, how to measure it, what its risk factors are, and whether there are effective strategies to prevent and treat it. A consensus conference was organized in order to clarify these points.
Participants:
The consensus was internationally supported by all the major scientific societies in pediatric endocrinology and 37 participants.
Evidence:
An independent and systematic search of the literature was conducted to identify key articles relating to insulin resistance in children.
Consensus Process:
The conference was divided into five themes and working groups: background and definition; methods of measurement and screening; risk factors and consequences; prevention; and treatment. Each group selected key issues, searched the literature, and developed a draft document. During a 3-d meeting, these papers were debated and finalized by each group before presenting them to the full forum for further discussion and agreement.
Conclusions:
Given the current childhood obesity epidemic, insulin resistance in children is an important issue confronting health care professionals. There are no clear criteria to define insulin resistance in children, and surrogate markers such as fasting insulin are poor measures of insulin sensitivity. Based on current screening criteria and methodology, there is no justification for screening children for insulin resistance. Lifestyle interventions including diet and exercise can improve insulin sensitivity, whereas drugs should be implemented only in selected cases.
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