[Sensibility to insulin in obese children (author's transl)]

La Semaine Des Hopitaux : Organe Fonde Par L'Association D'Enseignement Medical Des Hopitaux De Paris
|February 18, 1980
PubMed

Insights

Obese children show normal glucose tolerance but elevated insulin levels, indicating hyperinsulinemia. Their response to external insulin is normal, suggesting underlying factors for insulin resistance require further study.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Endocrinology
  • Metabolic Research
  • Human Physiology

Context:

  • Obesity in children is a growing concern with potential metabolic complications.
  • Understanding insulin dynamics is crucial for managing pediatric metabolic health.
  • Previous studies have explored glucose metabolism in obese youth, but insulin secretion patterns require further elucidation.

Purpose:

  • To investigate glucose and insulin levels during an intravenous glucose tolerance test in obese children.
  • To assess the insulin sensitivity of obese children using a hypoglycemic tolerance test.
  • To identify potential factors contributing to endogenous insulin resistance in this population.

Summary:

  • Obese children (n=46) and controls (n=19) underwent intravenous glucose tolerance testing.
  • Results showed normal glucose tolerance but hyperinsulinemia in obese children.
  • Insulin sensitivity was normal in a subset of obese children during induced hypoglycemia.

Impact:

  • This study highlights hyperinsulinemia as a key metabolic characteristic in obese children, even with normal glucose tolerance.
  • Findings suggest that endogenous insulin resistance mechanisms in obese children are complex and not solely related to exogenous insulin sensitivity.
  • Further research is needed to identify the specific factors responsible for endogenous insulin resistance in pediatric obesity.

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