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[Nutritional status, metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance in children from Santiago (Chile)]
Francisco Mardones1, Pilar Arnaiz2, Salesa Barja2
1División de Salud Pública. Facultad de Medicina. Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. Santiago. Chile.. mardones@med.puc.cl.
Insights
Childhood obesity, metabolic syndrome (MS), and insulin resistance (IR) are prevalent in Chile. Early identification of these risk factors is crucial for preventing non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Public Health
- Endocrinology
Background:
- Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) often originate in early life, necessitating the study of childhood risk factors.
- Limited data exists on the prevalence of obesity, metabolic syndrome (MS), and insulin resistance (IR) among Chilean children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of obesity, MS, and IR in Chilean children.
- To investigate the associations between nutritional status, MS, and IR.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 3325 children (aged 10-15) from 20 public schools in Santiago, Chile (2009-2011).
- Assessed anthropometry, blood pressure, pubertal status, lipids, glucose, and insulin to calculate Homeostasis model assessment index (HOMA-IR).
Main Results:
- Prevalence rates were 16.1% for obesity, 7.3% for MS, and 25.9% for IR.
- Obese children exhibited higher rates of IR and MS.
- MS and IR were strongly associated (OR=8.0), with all MS components linked to IR.
Conclusions:
- A significant prevalence of obesity, MS, and IR risk factors exists in this Chilean child population.
- The strong association highlights the importance of early detection for NCD prevention strategies.
Background:
The origin of most non-communicable diseases (NCDs) is in early life. Consequently obtaining information on risk factors for NCDs is important for preventive purposes. However, there is no information available on the prevalence of obesity, metabolic syndrome (MS) and insulin resistance (IR) in Chilean children.
Objetives:
To determine the prevalence of nutritional status, MS and IR, and secondly, to study the associations among them.
Methods:
Cross-sectional study conducted during 2009-2011 in 20 public schools of Puente Alto County, Santiago, Chile. Anthropometry, blood pressure and pubertal status were assessed. A blood sample was obtained for determination of lipids, blood glucose and insulin. Abnormal Homeostasis model assessment index (HOMA-IR) was based on a national standard.
Results:
3325 children had a mean age of 11.4 ± 1 years old (range 10-15 years). The prevalence of obesity, MS and IR was 16.1%, 7.3% and 25.9%, respectively. The prevalence of IR and MS was higher in obese children. MS and IR were strongly associated with an OR of 8.0 (95% CI= 5.9-10.7). Multivariate analysis showed that all MS components were associated to IR.
Conclusions:
There is a relatively high prevalence of risk factors in this sample of children. The strong positive association between nutritional status, IR and MS points out the need to early identify risk factors for NCDs allowing for prevention.
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