Cross-sectional Associations between Anthropometric Measures and Cardiometabolic Risk Factors Among Young Children

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Cardiology
• Public Health

Background:

• Childhood cardiometabolic risk (CMR) is a growing concern, yet associations with anthropometric measures are not fully understood.
• Early identification of CMR is crucial for timely intervention and prevention of long-term cardiovascular disease.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the cross-sectional associations between various anthropometric measures (BMI z-score, WC, WHtR) and cardiometabolic risk factors in young children.
• To determine if WHtR is a more effective indicator of CMR than BMI z-score or WC in early childhood.

Main Methods:

• The study included 210 children aged 1.5-6.2 years.
• Anthropometric measurements (BMI z-score, WC, WHtR) and blood pressure were recorded.
• Serum biomarkers were analyzed in a subset of children, with generalized estimating equations used for statistical analysis.

Main Results:

• WHtR was positively associated with diastolic blood pressure, glucose, and total cholesterol, and negatively associated with insulin.
• BMI z-score showed a negative association with HbA1c, while WC was positively associated with HDL-C.
• WHtR demonstrated stronger associations with several CMR factors compared to BMI z-score and WC.

Conclusions:

• WHtR may serve as a valuable, noninvasive screening tool for identifying children at risk for lipid and blood pressure abnormalities.
• Further research is warranted to validate WHtR's utility in diverse pediatric populations.
• Early anthropometric screening can facilitate targeted interventions to mitigate childhood CMR.