Related Experiment Videos
Effect of obesity on echocardiographic parameters in children
1Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Kagoshima University, Japan.
Insights
Obesity impacts cardiac structure in Japanese children, with effects on left ventricular parameters evident even at age 6. This study highlights the importance of monitoring cardiovascular health in obese youth.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Cardiology
- Obesity Research
Background:
- Childhood obesity is a growing global health concern.
- Understanding its impact on cardiovascular structure is crucial for early intervention.
- Previous research has explored obesity's effects on adult cardiac parameters, but less is known about its impact on children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between obesity and echocardiographic parameters in Japanese children.
- To determine if obesity affects left ventricular dimensions and mass in pediatric populations.
- To compare different methods of normalizing echocardiographic data for body size in children.
Main Methods:
- Echocardiographic parameters were measured in 341 Japanese children aged 6, 12, and 15 years.
- Obesity was assessed using the obesity index and body mass index.
- Left ventricular parameters were normalized for height and height to the power of 2.7.
Main Results:
- Significant correlations were found between obesity indices and left ventricular internal dimension and mass across all age groups.
- The obesity index showed stronger correlations with posterior wall thickness and left ventricular internal dimension than body mass index.
- Normalization methods varied in effectiveness across different age groups, with height correction better for younger children and height to the power of 2.7 for older children.
- The impact of obesity on left ventricular parameters was detectable as early as age 6.
Conclusions:
- Obesity significantly affects echocardiographic parameters in Japanese children, including left ventricular structure.
- The effects of childhood obesity on cardiac parameters are evident at a young age.
- Appropriate normalization methods for echocardiographic data are essential for accurate assessment in pediatric populations.
Abstract:
We studied the effect of obesity on echocardiographic parameters in Japanese children. The subjects were 341 children: 106 first graders (age 6 years), 166 seventh graders (age 12 years), and 69 tenth graders (age 15 years). They were assigned to six groups according to school grade and sex. Echocardiographic parameters included thickness of the interventricular septum and of the posterior wall, end diastolic left ventricular internal dimension, and left ventricular mass. Left ventricular parameters were normalized for height, and for height to the power of 2.7. The obesity index as well as the body mass index were used to estimate obesity, because the obesity index is frequently used in Japan. There were significant correlations between the indices of obesity and left ventricular internal dimension or left ventricular mass in each group. The obesity index was more strongly correlated than the body mass index with posterior wall thickness and left ventricular internal dimension. For normalization of left ventricular parameters, correction for height was better for the first graders, whereas correction for height to the power of 2.7 was better for seventh and tenth graders. The most important finding was that the effect of obesity on left ventricular parameters was evident at 6 years of age.