Sex-related Differences in Correlation of Overweight/Obesity Markers to Blood Pressure in Prepubertal Children in Osijek-Baranja County – a Cross-sectional Study

Abstract

Background:The aim was to assess prevalence of overweight/obesity and evaluate their relations to blood pressure and blood glucose concentrations in prepubertal school children. Design and method: Third grade elementary school children were included (total 111-53 girls, 58 boys; 9±1 years). Height, weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), upper arm and thigh skin fold (ASF, TSF) and systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and fasting blood glucose concentrations (fBGC) were measured.Results: 13.51% subjects were overweight (BMI>85th percentile; 3 girls and 12 boys) and 15.32% subjects were obese (BMI>95th percentile;7 girls and 10 boys). Boys had significantly higher SBP than girls. Overweight/obese boys had significantly thicker ASF and TSF, higher SB, higher DBP (and higher fBGC compared to normal-weight boys; 5 boys and 4 girls were hypertensive (SBP>95th percentile). In boys, there were significant positive correlations of BMI and WC with SBP, DBP, ASF and TSF. Overweight/ obese girls had significantly thicker ASF and TSF and greater WC compared to normal-weight girls. SBP, DBP or fBGC were not significantly different between OW/OB and normal-weight girls. In girls, BMI and WC significantly positively correlated with ASF and TSF, but no correlations to BP were observed. WC positively correlated to fBGC in both, boys and girls. Conclusions: Significant association of OW/OB to arterial BP levels in prepubertal boys and a lack of associations among OW/OB markers and arterial BP levels in girls suggest that OW/OB might not be as important risk factors in development of hypertension in adulthood in females as in males.IntroductIon O verweight and obesity in children, young adults and adults becomes problem nationwide (1). Many recent studies showed that the childhood obesity is a global issue: in 77% of the countries examined, at least 10% of youth were overweight and in 20% of the countries at least 3% of children were obese (2). In these studies, adiposity status is assessed in the clinical setting using simple anthropometric measures such as the body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC). While BMI is a common measure, nowadays criticized as not descriptive enough in children, waist circumference is showing its' utility in iden- (8,9,10). This gives the opportunity to prevent or alleviate risks of developing cardiovascular diseases in adulthood.It is well known that sex hormones have influence on cardiovascular risk factors. Many studies have shown the protective role of estrogen considering cardiovascular system in women during reproductive age (11,12), while lately there are many studies indicating that the testosterone deficiency is related to the outbreak of cardiovascular risk factors (13). It is well known that sex hormones are involved in adipocyte metabolism and fat distribution (14). Estrogen has anabolic effect on fat, especially subcutaneous fat. Decrease in estrogen levels in menopausal women is associated with the loss of subcutaneous fat and increas...

Gender-related differences in cardiometabolic risk factors and oxidative stress among prepubertal children with obesity

“…However, increasing evidence indicates that prepubertal boys and girls, at a similar age, may already present significantly different concentrations of sex hormones [19][20][21] and that these differences may already be clinically relevant, specifically in what concerns to cardiovascular risk. Previous studies reported significant associations between obesity parameters and blood pressure or fasting blood glucose levels in prepubertal boys, but not in girls 18 . Noteworthy, a study in healthy term neonates reported gender specific differences in oxidative stress and inflammatory signalling thus suggesting that gender differences need to be considered even in early childhood 22 .…”

“…Nevertheless, in early childhood, and particularly in the prepubertal period, few studies have focused on gender differences in obesity-related comorbidities 17,18 , perhaps because the small differences on the levels of sex hormones at this age might be expected to have a small impact on the metabolic and cardiovascular function 18,19 . However, increasing evidence indicates that prepubertal boys and girls, at a similar age, may already present significantly different concentrations of sex hormones [19][20][21] and that these differences may already be clinically relevant, specifically in what concerns to cardiovascular risk.…”