Serum Homocysteine and Cysteine Levels and Anthropometric Changes: A Longitudinal Study among Brazilian Children and...

This article aimed to identify the influence of high serum homocysteine (Hcy) and cysteine (Cys) levels, alone or in conjunction, on changes in anthropometric parameters in children and adolescents over a 12-month follow-up period.

This is a cohort study involving 483 boys and girls 7-15 years of age. The outcome variables were body mass index (BMI)-for-age and waist circumference (WC) and the principal exposure variables were serum Hcy and Cys levels, alone or in conjunction. A generalized estimating equation (GEE) approach was used to identify longitudinal changes in the outcome variables.

Irrespective of age, sex, socioeconomic conditions, dietary intake, or the practice of physical activity, the children and adolescents in the fifth quintile of distribution of Hcy levels had a z-score increase of 0.50 (p < 0.01) and a 3.62 cm increase (p < 0.01) in mean BMI-for-age and WC, respectively, over the period of the study. In individuals with Cys values above the fifth quintile, a z-score increase of 0.59 (p < 0.01) and a 5 cm increase (p < 0.01) were found in BMI-for-age and WC, respectively. When serum Hcy and Cys levels were both above the fifth quintile of distribution, a z-score increase of 0.87 (p < 0.01) and a 6.57 cm increase (p < 0.01) were found in mean BMI-for-age and WC, respectively, over the 12-month follow-up.

High serum Hcy and Cys levels contributed to an increase in BMI-for-age and WC in children and adolescents over a 12-month follow-up period, with these increases being even greater when these 2 biochemical parameters were simultaneously high.