We examined the relationship between moderate obesity and glucose metabolism, insulin sensitivity and suspected fatty liver in children. We measured body mass index (BMI), z-score BMI, caliper skinfold thickness, waist and hip circumference in 94 participants (mean age 9.7 +/-2.2 years). Fasting blood glucose, insulin, HOMA score, lipid profile and transaminases (ALT, AST) were measured. Fatty liver and skinfold thickness were evaluated by means of ultrasound. The z-score BMI was 2.01 +/-0.39 (mean +/- SD), and the duration of obesity was 4.3+/-3.03 years. A positive correlation was found between caliper and US skinfold thickness for tricipital (r= 0.33; p= 0.003) and sovrailiac skinfold (r= 0.34; p=0.003). Fatty liver was diagnosed in 64% of children and it was positively related to anthropometric measurements. The three sub-groups--group 0 (normal US liver and normal transaminases); group 1 (US fatty liver and normal transaminases); group 2 (US fatty liver and elevated transaminases)--showed a difference concerning z-score BMI, insulin and HOMA parameters (Tukey test: z score BMI group 1 vs group 0 and 2 vs group 0; serum insulin: group 2 vs group 1 and group 2 vs group 0; HOMA IR: group 2 vs group 1 and group 2 vs group 0). Moderately obese children with steatosis exhibited a clear increase of insulin and insulin resistance which represents indices of a future metabolic syndrome. In addition, it is important to perform a liver ultrasound since transaminases seems to be not adequate for the diagnosis of fatty liver.
We examined the relationship between moderate obesity and glucose metabolism, insulin sensitivity and suspected fatty liver.Methodsz‐score body mass index( zBMI), caliper skinfold tickness, fasting blood glucose, insulin, HOMA score, lipid profile and transaminases (ALT, AST) were measured in 94 participants (mean age 9.7 ±2.2 years). Fatty liver and skinfold tickness were evaluated by ultrasound.ResultsThe zBMI was 2.01 ± 0.39 (mean ± SD), and the duration of obesity was 4.3±3.03 years. Caliper and US skinfold thickness correlated for tricipital (r = 0.33; p= 0.003) and sovrailiac skinfold (r= 0.34; p=0.003). Fatty liver was diagnosed in 64% of children and it was positively related to anthropometric measurements. The three groups ‐ group 0 (normal US liver and normal transaminases); group 1 (US fatty liver and normal transaminases); group 2 (US fatty liver and elevated transaminases) showed difference in zBMI , insulin and HOMA parameters (Tukey test: zBMI group 1 vs group 0 and 2 vs group 0; serum insulin: group 2 vs group 1 and group 2 vs group 0; HOMA IR: group 2 vs group 1 and group 2 vs group 0).DiscussionModerately obese children with steatosis exhibited a clear increase of insulin and insulin resistance, indices of a future metabolic syndrome. Transaminases levels seems to be not adequate for the diagnosis of fatty liver.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.