Obesity is associated with insulin resistance and components of the metabolic syndrome in Lebanese adolescents

Background: Prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MS) in obese adolescents has been reported to range between 18–42%, depending on country of origin, thus suggesting an ethnic-based association between obesity and MS.

Aim: This study aims to investigate the magnitude of the association between obesity, insulin resistance and components of MS among adolescents in Lebanon.

Subjects and methods: The sample included 263 adolescents at 4^th and 5^th Tanner stages of puberty (104 obese; 78 overweight; 81 normal weight). Anthropometric, biochemical and blood pressure measurements were performed. Body fat was assessed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry.

Results: According to International Diabetes Federation criteria, MS was identified in 21.2% of obese, 3.8% of overweight and 1.2% of normal weight subjects. The most common metabolic abnormalities among subjects having MS were elevated waist circumference (96.2%), low HDL (96.2%) and hypertriglyceridemia (73.1%). Insulin resistance was identified in all subjects having MS. Regression analyses showed that percentage body fat, waist circumference and BMI were similar in their ability to predict the MS in this age group.

Conclusions: MS was identified in a substantial proportion of Lebanese obese adolescents, thus highlighting the importance of early screening for obesity-associated metabolic abnormalities and of developing successful multi-component interventions addressing adolescent obesity.