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Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
Published on: February 2, 2017
Vascular Alterations Preceding Arterial Wall Thickening in Overweight and Obese Children
Sung-Ai Kim1, Kyung Hee Park2, Sarah Woo3
1Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Hallym Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Anyang 14068, Korea.
Insights
Childhood obesity causes vascular changes like arterial stiffening and enlargement before arterial wall thickening. These alterations begin in overweight children, indicating early cardiovascular risk.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric cardiology
- Vascular biology
- Obesity research
Background:
- Childhood obesity is a significant risk factor for adult cardiovascular disease.
- Early detection of vascular changes in obese children is crucial for intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of childhood obesity on vascular structure and function.
- To determine if vascular alterations precede arterial wall thickening in children.
Main Methods:
- Prospective study of 295 overweight/obese children and 31 normal-weight controls (aged 7-17).
- Assessed anthropometrics, lab findings, carotid intima-media thickness (IMT), carotid artery (CA) diameter, arterial stiffness, and velocity vector imaging parameters.
- Measured circumferential strain rate (SR) and other functional and structural vascular properties.
Main Results:
- No difference in IMT between groups; however, CA diameter increased in obese children and CA area increased in overweight children.
- Arterial stiffness indices (β stiffness, Young's elastic modulus) did not differ.
- Circumferential SR significantly decreased in overweight children and correlated with BMI z-scores.
Conclusions:
- Arterial stiffening and enlargement occur before arterial wall thickening in children.
- These vascular changes manifest as early as the overweight stage in childhood.
- Early vascular alterations in overweight/obese children highlight the need for timely interventions.
Background:
Childhood obesity is linked to adverse cardiovascular outcomes in adulthood. This study aimed to assess the impact of childhood obesity on the vasculature and to investigate whether vascular alteration precedes arterial wall thickening in childhood.
Methods:
A total of 295 overweight (body mass index [BMI] 85th to 95th percentile, n = 30) and obese (BMI ≥ 95th percentile, n = 234) children aged 7-17 years and 31 normal-weight controls with similar age and gender were prospectively recruited. We assessed anthropometric data and laboratory findings, and measured the carotid intima-media thickness (IMT), carotid artery (CA) diameter, M-mode-derived arterial stiffness indices, and velocity vector imaging parameters, including the CA area, fractional area change, circumferential strain, and circumferential strain rate (SR).
Results:
The mean ± standard deviation age of the participants was 10.8 ± 2.1 years; 172 (58%) children were male. Regarding structural properties, there was no difference in the IMT between the three groups. The CA diameter was significantly increased in obese children, whereas the CA area showed a significant increase beginning in the overweight stage. Regarding functional properties, contrary to β stiffness and Young's elastic modulus, which were not different between the three groups, the circumferential SR showed a significant decrease beginning in the overweight stage and was independently associated with BMI z-scores after adjusting for covariates.
Conclusion:
We have demonstrated that arterial stiffening and arterial enlargement precede arterial wall thickening, and that these vascular alterations begin at the overweight stage in middle childhood or early adolescence.
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