Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 27, 2025

Breakfast Habits among Schoolchildren in the City of Uruguaiana, Brazil
06:48

Breakfast Habits among Schoolchildren in the City of Uruguaiana, Brazil

Published on: July 29, 2020

4.4K

Influence of excess weight on metabolic risk factors in Argentinian preschool children

Agustina Malpeli1, Virginia Stallings2, Marisa Sala1

  • 1Instituto de Desarrollo e Investigaciones Pediátricas (IDIP), HIAEP "Sor María Ludovica" de La Plata - Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas de La Provincia de Buenos Aires (CIC-PBA), La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology & Metabolism : JPEM
|February 15, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) may predict metabolic risk in preschool children. Excess weight in children is linked to higher metabolic risk factors, with notable sex differences requiring further study.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Endocrinology
  • Metabolic Health
  • Childhood Obesity

Background:

  • Childhood obesity is a growing concern with potential long-term metabolic consequences.
  • Identifying early indicators of metabolic risk in preschool children is crucial for timely intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare metabolic risk factors between normal weight and excess weight preschool children.
  • To investigate the association between anthropometric measures and metabolic risk indicators.

Main Methods:

  • Evaluated 689 children aged 1-5.9 years.
  • Measured Body Mass Index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC), total body fat (TBF), blood pressure, fasting glucose, insulin, HOMA-IR, and lipid profiles (TC, LDL-C, HDL-C, TG).

Main Results:

  • Children with excess weight (OWG) exhibited higher MUAC, WC, TBF, and HOMA-IR compared to normal weight peers (NWG).
  • OWG girls showed significantly higher values for these parameters than OWG boys.
  • Positive correlations were observed between diastolic blood pressure, insulin, HOMA-IR, and anthropometric measures (WC, MUAC, TBF, BMI z-score).

Conclusions:

  • Mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) shows potential as a predictive indicator for metabolic risk in children.
  • The findings highlight the need for further research into sex-specific differences in metabolic risk among preschool children.
Abstract

Keywords:
MUACblood pressureinsulin resistanceoverweightpreschool

More Related Videos

Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study09:36

Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study

Published on: February 2, 2017

27.0K
Sample Preparation to Bioinformatics Analysis of DNA Methylation: Association Strategy for Obesity and Related Trait Studies14:56

Sample Preparation to Bioinformatics Analysis of DNA Methylation: Association Strategy for Obesity and Related Trait Studies

Published on: May 6, 2022

4.4K

Related Concept Videos

Obesity01:24

Obesity

The Body Mass Index (BMI) is a numerical value derived from a person's weight and height, used to categorize individuals into weight ranges. It is calculated using the formula: weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared. Obesity is a health condition characterized by excessive accumulation of adipose tissue that poses health risks, often diagnosed with a BMI ≥ 30. This excess fat storage occurs when surplus dietary calories are converted into triglycerides and stored in...
366
Nature and Nurture01:10

Nature and Nurture

Many human characteristics, like height, are shaped by both nature—in other words, by our genes—and by nurture, or our environment. For example, chronic stress during childhood inhibits the production of growth hormones and consequently reduces bone growth and height. Scientists estimate that 70-90% of variation in height is due to genetic differences among individuals, and 10-30% of variation in height is due to differences in the environments that individuals experience,...
20.3K
Overview of Lipid Metabolism01:24

Overview of Lipid Metabolism

Lipid metabolism is a crucial process in the human body that involves the synthesis and degradation of lipids. This process is essential for energy production, cell membrane formation, and hormone production, among other functions.
Lipolysis: The Breakdown of Lipids:
Lipolysis is the process of breaking down lipids, particularly triglycerides, into glycerol and fatty acids. This process typically occurs in the adipose tissue and is triggered by various hormones, including glucagon and...
952
Pathophysiology of Diabetes01:20

Pathophysiology of Diabetes

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by hyperglycemia. The four categories of diabetes are type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, other specific types of diabetes, and gestational diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes is characterized by autoimmune-mediated destruction of pancreatic β cells, with environmental factors potentially triggering this process in genetically susceptible individuals. Despite many not having a family history, certain genes increase susceptibility,...
845
Lung Capacity01:47

Lung Capacity

The air in the lungs is measured in volumes and capacities. Lung volume measures reflect the amount of air taken in, released, or left over after a lung function, like a single inhalation. Lung capacity measures are sums of two or more lung volume measures.
49.2K
Diabetes Mellitus: Type 2 and Gestational01:22

Diabetes Mellitus: Type 2 and Gestational

Type 2 diabetes, characterized by insulin resistance, arises when the insulin receptors on cells lose responsiveness to insulin, diminishing the cell's capacity to take up glucose, resulting in elevated blood glucose levels. To receive a diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes, a series of blood glucose tests are necessary to assess whether the blood glucose falls within normal parameters. If the result is out of the normal range, a patient may be diagnosed as prediabetic or diabetic, depending on the...
2.1K