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Updated: Nov 17, 2025

Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
09:36

Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study

Published on: February 2, 2017

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Fat mass and vascular health in overweight/obese children

Maria Rosaria Licenziati1, Gabriella Iannuzzo2, Delia Morlino2

  • 1Obesity and Endocrine Disease Unit, Department of Neurosciences, Santobono-Pausilipon Children's Hospital, Naples, Italy.

Nutrition, Metabolism, and Cardiovascular Diseases : NMCD
|February 16, 2021
PubMed

Insights

A new fat mass estimation model shows it is linked to early signs of atherosclerosis in obese children. This finding is crucial for understanding cardiovascular risks in pediatric obesity.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Endocrinology
  • Cardiovascular Health
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Childhood obesity is a major 21st-century public health concern.
  • Body Mass Index (BMI) has limitations in assessing body fatness in children.
  • Accurate assessment of fat mass is needed to understand associated health risks.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between estimated fat mass and subclinical atherosclerosis markers in overweight/obese children.
  • To evaluate a new prediction model for fat mass estimation.
  • To assess carotid intima media thickness (IMT) and intima media complex cross-sectional area (CSA-IMC) as markers.

Main Methods:

  • Study included 375 Italian overweight/obese children (ages 5-15).
  • Ultrasound carotid examination was performed on all participants.
  • Multiple regression analyses were used to assess associations, controlling for cardiovascular risk factors.

Main Results:

  • Estimated fat mass was significantly associated with carotid IMT (β=0.156, p=0.01).
  • Estimated fat mass was significantly associated with CSA-IMC (β=0.216, p<0.001).
  • These associations remained significant after adjusting for major cardiovascular risk factors.

Conclusions:

  • Fat mass, calculated using a new formula, is independently associated with subclinical atherosclerosis in overweight and obese children.
  • This highlights the importance of accurate fat mass assessment in pediatric obesity management.
  • The findings suggest potential for early cardiovascular risk identification in this population.
Abstract

Keywords:
AtherosclerosisCarotid IMTChildrenObesity

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