Ghrelin, adipokines, metabolic factors in relation with weight status in school-children and results of a 1-year lifestyle intervention program

Abstract

BackgroundOverweight in Guadeloupe is a public health matter affecting children and adults. In the present study we evaluated the metabolic profile, including serum ghrelin, leptin and adiponectin levels, in normal weight, overweight and obese school children and we analyzed the potential changes in anthropometric and metabolic risk factors after a 1-year lifestyle intervention program.MethodsParameters were assessed at baseline and at 1 year. Three groups (G) were defined according the International Obesity Task Force reference values, G1: normal weight / G2: overweight / G3: obese. The lifestyle intervention included dietary counseling, regular physical activity and family support.ResultsA total of 120 children (G1: n = 44, G2: n = 39, G3: n = 37), aged 11– 15 years and 59 % girls were enrolled. Obese children showed significant lower HDL-C, adiponectin and ghrelin concentrations, higher triglycerides, fasting blood glucose, insulin and leptin levels and also higher frequencies of abdominal obesity (G1: 2.3 %, G2: 28.2 %, G3: 73 %) and insulin resistance (GI: 39 %, G2: 72 %, G3: 89 %) than the other groups. In the overall sample, the linear regressions exploring the associations of ghrelin, adiponectin and leptin with age, gender, BMI z-score, HOMA-IR and tanner stage as independent variables showed strong associations of leptin levels with weight status and insulin resistance at baseline. The models accounted for 58 % of variability in leptin levels compared with 26 and 15 % for adiponectin and ghrelin levels respectively.In 83 children who completed the program, significant decreases in BMI z-score in overweight and obese children were noted. Leptin levels decreased significantly only in the obese group whereas adiponectin concentrations increased significantly in the three groups,In obese children, a significant correlation was found between changes in BMI Z-score, and changes in leptin levels (r = 0.39; P = 0.049) but not with changes in adiponectin levels.ConclusionsAbdominal obesity and insulin resistance were highly prevalent in obese children highlighting their risk of metabolic complications in adulthood. A 1-year long lifestyle intervention was associated with improvement in BMI z-score and metabolic parameters.

Adiponectin, Inflammation and Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in Paediatric Obese Patients: Impact of Interventional Studies

“…Contrarily, a 12-week exercise intervention study with lean adolescents males found an increase in adiponectin, IL-6 and CRP, although none of these changes were associated with variations in body fat composition [110]. Similar results were found in other studies [111]. It is known that PE, particular high-intensity PE, increases oxidative stress and inflammation markers [112].…”

“…After puberty, and possibly through a mechanism involving sexual hormones, adiponectin decreases with age in both genders, more markedly in boys [72,130]. Several studies have reported similar adiponectin levels for both genders, even in OB paediatric populations involving post-pubertal subjects [10,29,61,111,131].…”

Vitamin D Status, Insulin Resistance, Leptin-To-Adiponectin Ratio in Adolescents: Results of a 1-Year Lifestyle Intervention

“…The present study concerned a sample of 117 children and adolescent, aged 11 to 15 years, from a previous study on overweight conducted in Guadeloupe Island (FWI) in 2013 [3]. In this study, volunteer healthy children from a middle school were enrolled to assess 1) their basal metabolic profiles according to weight status and 2) changes in these profiles after 1-year lifestyle intervention program.…”

“…The study protocol has been described in more details elsewhere [3]. Briefly, the 1-year lifestyle intervention program included 1) a nutritional information, focusing on overweight prevention and explaining healthy eating (with an increase in the consumption of fruits and vegetables and a decrease in the consumption of high-fat and high sugar meals) 2) Information on health risks for diseases related to lack of exercise and overweight 3) Encouragement for reduction of sedentary behaviors 4) advice to achieve five hours per week of school physical education and/or physical activity outside of school and 5) Participation of parents.…”

“…In a previous study conducted in Guadeloupean school children and adolescents (children/adolescents), we found that obesity was associated with an adverse metabolic profile including a high frequency of insulin resistance (89%) [3]. …”