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Association Between Hyperuricemia, Body Composition, and Comorbidities in an Obese Pediatric Population

João Vasco1, Mónica Tavares2, Helena Ferreira Mansilha2

  • 1Pediatric Department, Hospital do Divino Espírito Santo, Ponta Delgada, Azores, Portugal.

Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism
|April 14, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Serum uric acid (SUA) in obese children correlates with body composition and comorbidities like insulin resistance and fatty liver disease. Waist-to-height ratio and body fat percentage better predict complications than BMI alone.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Endocrinology
  • Metabolic Disorders

Background:

  • Childhood obesity is a global health crisis with long-term consequences.
  • Elevated serum uric acid (SUA) is linked to comorbidities in adults, but its role in children is less understood.
  • While body mass index (BMI) is associated with SUA, other nutritional assessments and their link to childhood obesity complications require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between hyperuricemia, body composition, and obesity-related comorbidities in children.
  • To compare the efficacy of BMI, waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), and body fat mass (BFM) percentage in assessing these relationships.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of 505 obese children (ages 5-18).
  • Evaluation of BMI z-score, WHtR, and BFM percentage (via bioimpedance).
  • Assessment of SUA levels and blood markers for target organ damage, including HOMA-IR, ALT, and lipid profiles.

Main Results:

  • All nutritional assessment methods (BMI, WHtR, BFM) showed significant correlations (p < 0.001).
  • WHtR demonstrated a stronger correlation with comorbidities than BMI z-score.
  • SUA levels correlated significantly with HOMA-IR, ALT, and lipid profiles (p < 0.001), and were associated with BFM percentage and WHtR in regression analysis.
  • Children with hepatic steatosis showed significant differences in body composition, SUA, and comorbidity markers.

Conclusions:

  • Nutritional assessment methods are strongly correlated, with WHtR and BFM percentage being more indicative of obesity complications than BMI.
  • Serum uric acid is a potential biomarker for insulin resistance, inflammation, and metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) in obese children.

Keywords:
MALFDbody compositionchildhood obesityuric acid

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