[Hyperlipidemia, hypoalphalipoproteinemia and liver dysfunction in Japanese school-age children with obesity]

Three hundred and twenty nine obese children (206 boys, 123 girls) whose obesity index were above 40% were screened among 6,278 school-age children living in Ibaraki Prefecture. Six hundred and fifty-eight school-age children without obesity were used as controls. The mean levels of total cholesterol and triglyceride of obese boys were significantly higher than those of control boys. The mean levels of HDL-cholesterol of both boys and girls with obesity were significantly lower than those of controls. Hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia and hypoalphalipoproteinemia in the boys with obesity were significantly more frequent than those in control boys. In the girls with obesity, hypoalphalipoproteinemia was significantly more frequent than that in control girls. Liver dysfunction (GPT > or = 40 IU/l) in obese children was significantly more frequent than in controls: Although none of controls had liver dysfunction, 24.8% of obese boys and 11.4% of obese girls had liver dysfunction. These findings indicated that atherogenic dyslipidemias and liver dysfunction were common in Japanese school-age children with obesity, especially in boys.