Anthropometric and lipid parameters trends in school children: one decade of YUSAD Study

Athersclerosis is a multifactorial disease that begins in childhood. There are few reports regarding influence of risk factors on the atherosclerotic processes in early period of life and adolescence.

The aim of this study was to present and analyze risk factor trends in school children over a 10-year period that were included and followed-up by the Yugoslav Study of Atherosclerosis Precursors in School Children (YUSAD Study).

There were three examinations of selected population from 13 centres. The first examination was performed when children were 10 years of age (first group; N = 6381 participants), the second examination on the same population when they were 15 years of age (second group; N = 5017) and third when children were 19/20 years of age (third group; N = 1293). Evaluated parameters included: BMI, waist circumference (WaC) and lipid profile (total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglyceride).

A significant elevation of values (p < 0.001) of BMI, WaC and triglycerides and a significant decline (p < 0.001) of total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol in boys over 5 and 10-year period was noticed. There was a significant elevation (p < 0.001) of BMI, WaC and HDL values and a significant decline in LDL cholesterol values in girls over the 5 and 10-year period.

Our results point out that girls between 10 and 19/20 years have a better lipid profile during growth. It should be stressed out that childhood and adolescence can be more beneficial in the observation of risk factor influences on pathological, genetic and clinical levels.