Stratégies de prévention de l’obésité chez l’enfantPrevention strategies of childhood obesity

Considering the high prevalence and the increasing trends, obesity is now considered as a public health problem in numerous countries. The main aim of the National Program of Nutrition and Health is to stop the increasing prevalence of childhood obesity. In this frame work, a group of experts has established a new presentation of the corpulence curves, adapted for clinical practice, to define normal weight and obesity. Weight status is now currently assessed on the basis of weight and height measurements, after computing the Quetelet index or body mass index (BMI) corresponding to weight (m) divided by square of height (weight/height2). As body proportion varies during growth, age must be taken into account. Various curves were published. In 1982, based on the French sample of the international growth study, BMI curves were published. They were revised in 1991. The third and 97th centiles define the normal weight range. Overweight is defined by BMI values greater than the 97th centile. In the year 2000, a new international definition was established. Two centiles were constructed to define overweight and obesity. The new BMI charts adapted for clinical practice, proposed by the French National program of nutrition and health, include the French reference curves plus the centile defining obesity in the international definition. Thus, in the new French charts, the area above the 97th centile is split in two levels (degree 1 obesity and degree 2 obesity). Drawing the BMI curve for each child, like drawing weight and height curves, is a simple act which can be done routinely. The age at adiposity rebound (an indicator predicting the risk of adult obesity) can be read from the curve. It allows to identify an early phase of obesity development, even at the time when overweight is not yet clinically visible. When obesity appears clearly, the identification is easy. The use of BMI curves is particularly useful in two situations: (1) in very young overweight children, the curves allow to identify children who have a real risk of developing obesity. (2) By the age of 6 years, when due to normal physiological variations, clinical assessment can be misleading. The BMI curves allow to identify children at risk. When a child is identified as having a real risk of obesity, simple preventive measures, adapted for each subject, could avoid a development toward massive obesity, which may become difficult to reduce if managed too late.     

Perzentile für den Body-mass-Index für das Kindes- und Jugendalter unter Heranziehung verschiedener deutscher Stichproben

Objectives. Both the Childhood Group of the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) and the European Childhood Obesity Group (ECOG) recommend to use the body mass index (BMI = weight in kilograms/height in meter²) to evaluate overweight and obesity in children and adolescents. Whereas it is customary with adults to use fixed cut off points to define overweight and obesity, in children and adolescents age and sex specific developmental changes in BMI need to be addressed, which are due to physiological alterations of fat mass. Method. Because a national reference population for children and adolescents does not exist in Germany, a BMI reference data set was compiled. Therefore measurements of height and weight from 17 different regional studies including 17147 boys and 17275 girls aged 0 to 18 years were used. Results and conclusions. We recommend the use of the presented percentiles as reference to asses under- and overweight (obesity) in German children and adolescents. In the guidelines of the “Arbeitsgruppe Adipo-sitas im Kindes- und Jugendalter” (AGA) the 90^th and 97^th BMI percentiles as calculated in this reference population are proposed as cut-off points for the definition of overweight and obesity in German children and adolescents.     

Comparison of body mass index and triceps skinfold at 5 years and young adult body mass index, waist circumference and blood pressure

Aim: To examine which measure of obesity at 5 years, body mass index (BMI) or triceps skinfold thickness, is most strongly associated with 21‐year risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD), including BMI, waist circumference (WC), systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP). Methods: Longitudinal birth cohort study with BMI and triceps skinfold measurements at age 5, and BMI, WC and blood pressure at 21 years. Overweight and obesity at 5 years were determined according to Cole‐International Obesity Task Force standards, at 21, by World Health Organization definitions. Triceps skinfold thickness measurements were converted to a z‐score, and cut‐offs for overweight and obesity were chosen to reflect similar proportions to the BMI subgroups. BMI, WC, SBP and DBP were also measured at 21 years. Results: Five‐year BMI and triceps skinfold thickness were both significantly associated with the CVD risk measures at 21 years. For overweight/obesity at 5 years, the adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval) for 21‐year overweight/obesity was 5.6 (4.2, 7.4), for 21‐year WC was 1.5 (1.2, 2.0). Mean difference (95% CI) in BMI was 4.4 (3.9, 5.0), in WC 8.3 cm (6.8, 9.8), in SBP 2.4 mm Hg (0.5, 4.3), in DBP 1.1 mm Hg (0.1, 2.2). For skinfold, the similar findings were odds ratio 2.6 (2.0, 3.4) and 1.2 (0.9, 1.6) for 21‐year BMI and WC, and mean differences of 2.6 (2.0, 3.2), WC 4.8 cm (3.3, 6.3), SBP 2.3 mm Hg (0.5, 4.2) and DBP 0.7 mm Hg (?0.4, 1.8). Conclusions: In children with overweight/obesity, BMI rather than triceps skinfold is the preferred epidemiological measure for identifying young adult CVD risk markers of BMI, WC and blood pressure.     

Overweight and obesity in Norwegian children: secular trends in weight-for-height and skinfolds

AIM: The prevalence of overweight and obesity in paediatric populations has been rapidly increasing in many countries over the past decades. The aims of the present study were to provide new data on weight-for-height and skinfolds, and to compare these to growth references for children between 3 and 17 years, collected in the same city between 1971 and 1974. MATERIAL: The present study is based on cross-sectional data of 4115 children (2086 boys and 2029 girls) aged 4-15 years measured in 2003-6. RESULTS: Overall, 18.0% of the boys and 20.1% of the girls were above the 90th weight-for-height percentile of the 1971-1974 references, 8.0% and 7.2% were above the 97.5th percentile, indicating an upward shift in weight-for-height. An even more prominent increase was observed for skinfold thicknesses; for triceps skinfolds about 30% of the boys and 28% of the girls were above the 90th percentile of the 1971-1974 references, and corresponding values for subscapular skinfolds were 26.5% and 25.9%. Using international cut-off values for body mass index, the overall prevalence of overweight and obesity was 12.5% and 2.1% in boys, and 14.8% and 2.9% in girls. CONCLUSIONS: Our study has demonstrated a significant increase in weight-for-height in Norwegian children over the last 30 years, and that these changes are caused by an increase in fat tissue, as shown by skinfold measurements. The current prevalence of overweight and obesity is comparable to recent estimates from most Western and Northern European countries.     

Body fat reference curves for healthy Turkish children and adolescents

Childhood obesity is a major worldwide health problem. In addition to body mass index (BMI), body fat percentiles may be used to predict future cardiovascular and metabolic health risks. The aim of this study is to define new age- and gender-specific body fat centiles for Turkish children and adolescents. A total of 4,076 (2,276 girls, 1,800 boys) children and adolescents aged 6–18 years were recruited for this study. Total body fat was measured by a bioelectrical impedance noninvasive method. Body fat percentiles were produced by the LMS method. The body fat percentile curves of boys appear to rise from age 6 to 12 years and then slope downwards to age 15 years and then flatten off. The body fat % percentiles of girls increased until 14 years of age through 75th to 97th percentiles and then slope downwards, but through the third to 50th percentiles, they showed a downward slope after 14 years old. Conclusions: Since BMI may not always reflect body fat content, direct assessment of adiposity by a practical method would be significantly useful for clinical decisions. Therefore, this study provides normative data for body fat percentage in healthy Turkish children and adolescents. To this goal we used a practical and clinically applicable method. These references can be useful for evaluation of overweight and obesity.     

全国0～6 岁儿童单纯性肥胖流行病学研究

目的 本研究旨在了解自1996年第二次全国儿童期单纯肥胖症流行学研究后10年来我国儿童期单纯肥胖症的发展特征和趋势;复核本工作组研究初期所确定的工作假设和所选择的指示参数的科学效应;修订本工作组所制定的中国儿童单纯肥胖症控制方案的科学性和可操作性.方法 选择沈阳、济南、青岛、郑州、长沙、重庆、西安、成都、深圳、海口、文昌11个城市,采取随机整群抽样的方法,共调查0～6岁儿童84 766名,代表人口1 414 220名儿童.儿童肥胖的判定标准为世界卫生组织(WHO)身高标准体重值,采用标准差计分法(Z-score),体重高于中位数1个标准差为超重、高于2个标准差为肥胖.测量体重、身长/身高、3岁以上儿童的腰围、臀围、大腿围及血压.计数、计量数据分别采用χ2检验和t检验进行分析,显著性检验水平为0.05.结果 (1)本次调查0～6 岁儿童肥胖、超重总检出率分别为7.2%、19.8%,其中男童肥胖、超重检出率分别为8.9%、22.2%,女童肥胖、超重检出率分别为5.3%、17.0%.较1996年分别增长了3.6、4.7倍,年均增长速度分别为156%和52%.肥胖、超重检出率北部高于西部,中南部居中;男童高于女童.肥胖、超重比仍处于高危水平.(2)出生后1个月儿童的平均体块指数(BMI)值＞16.5,于1个月时BMI均值达最高(17.8),之后逐渐降低,5.5岁时降至最低点(平均值15.7),然后随年龄上升,但最高BMI均值未超过18.(3)本次调查中,脂肪重聚年龄为5.5岁,较1996年后移半年.出生后前半年的脂肪重聚比(ARR1)为0.56,出生后半年(ARR2)为0.97,均处于可接受水平,且明显低于10年前的水平.(4)西部地区儿童由于身高不足,可以出现"假性超重".这既掩盖了早期线性生长不足和营养不良,又掩盖了可能产生的肥胖.(5)本次调查肥胖儿童血压高于第95百分位数的比例高达12.9%,其腰臀比大于本工作组设置的1.0的危险警戒水平者占17.2%.(6)本工作组所设立的BMI参照值及肥胖筛查界值点、脂肪重聚比/年龄等参照值及界值点、腰臀比参照值及界值点等指示参数在现场筛查和指示健康危险因素等方面是适宜、科学、实用的.结论 近10年儿童期单纯肥胖症检出率和肥胖儿童高血压率增加明显,且存在心血管高危状态,应加强儿童期单纯肥胖症的早期预防控制.     

Percent body fat,skinfold thickness or body mass index for defining obesity or overweight,as a risk factor for asthma in schoolchildren: which one to use in epidemiological studies?

None of the epidemiological studies indicating that obesity is a risk factor for asthma in schoolchildren have used the percent body fat (PBF) to define obesity. The present study compares the definition of obesity using body mass index (BMI), PBF and the raw sum of the thickness of four skinfolds (SFT) to evaluate this condition as a risk factor for asthma. All classes of children of the target ages of 6-8 years of all schools in four municipalities of Murcia (Spain) were surveyed. Participation rate was 70.2% and the number of children included in the study was 931. Height, weight and SFT (biceps, triceps, subscapular and suprailiac) were measured according to standard procedures. Current active asthma was defined from several questions of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood questionnaire. Obesity was defined using two standard cut-off points for BMI and PBF, and the 85th percentile for BMI, PBF and SFT. The highest quartile of each type of measurement was also compared with the lowest. A multiple logistic regression analysis was made for the various obesity definitions, adjusting for age, asthma in the mother and father and gender. The adjusted odds ratios of having asthma among obese children were different for boys and girls and varied across the different obesity definitions. For the standard cut-off points of BMI they were 1.19 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.41-3.43] for girls and 2.00 (95% CI 0.97-4.10) for boys; however, for PBF (boys 25%, girls 30%) the corresponding figures were 1.54 (95% CI 0.63-3.73) and 1.20 (95% CI 0.66-2.21). BMI, PBF and SFT showed more consistency between each other when using the other cut-off points. BMI, PBF (except standard cut-off points) and SFT produce relatively comparable results when analysing the interaction between obesity and asthma.     

Obesity in childhood--diagnosis and therapy

Obesity during childhood represents one of the most common nutritional disorders in industrialized countries. The duration of obesity in childhood correlates well with the probability to become an obese adult. Diagnosis of obesity requires reference weight for height tables and the measurement of skinfolds with the caliper technique. Using this method a differentiation between overweight and overnutrition can easily be performed also in an outpatient clinic. For therapeutic purpose a longterm dietary regime with a hypocaloric nutrition has to be reached. Some other dietary regimes ("Protein-modified fast" and "very low calorie diets") are presented and their clinical practicability discussed. The earlier treatment starts for obese children and adolescents the higher is the likelihood for longterm-success. It is emphasized that even pediatricians should focus their interest on prevention of obesity by means of prudent diet education.     

儿童单纯性肥胖的诊断和治疗

关于肥胖的诊断国内外并尚无统一的判断标准，WHO认为10岁以下和10岁以上应有不同的评价标准，推荐10岁以下儿童使用身高别体质量，10～24岁采用体质量指数（BMI），国际肥胖问题工作组织（IOTF）认为BMI适宜用来判断儿童青少年超重和肥胖。WHO和IOTF提出的18岁BMI超重、肥胖标准完全一样，分别为25和30kg／m^2，而中国肥胖问题工作组（WGOC）制定的标准较比前二者低，18岁BMI超重和肥胖界值点分别为24和28kg／m^2。儿童肥胖的治疗不同于成人，成人期可使用的手术去脂、药物减肥、饥饿疗法、禁食等，在儿童时期均不宜使用。目前国内外公认儿童肥胖治疗方法包括行为矫正、饮食调整和运动等综合治疗方案。     

Diet,obesity, and metabolic control in girls with insulin dependent diabetes mellitus.

OBJECTIVE--To investigate whether girls with insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) were more overweight than nondiabetic girls, and how diet, insulin treatment, metabolic control, age, and pubertal status were related to body weight and fat content. DESIGN--Case-control study. SUBJECTS AND METHODS--48 IDDM girls aged 10-19 years and controls matched for age and social class participated in the study. Overweight was assessed by body mass index (BMI), relative weight, and body fat from skinfold thicknesses. Food consumption data were collected by a 48 hour recall method. RESULTS--The girls with IDDM were more overweight than control girls according to all measures of obesity (for example, mean BMI 20.3 v 18.9 kg/m2). The daily insulin dose/body weight correlated positively with BMI and per cent body fat. CONCLUSIONS--Girls with IDDM are more overweight than their peers, which indicates that a more effective prevention of obesity is needed in the treatment of diabetes.     

Prevalence of acanthosis nigricans in relation to anthropometric measures: Community‐based cross‐sectional study in Korean pre‐adolescent school children

Background: This cross‐sectional study was performed to assess the prevalence of acanthosis nigricans (AN) across various anthropometric measures and to identify the cut‐offs for anthropometric indices of adiposity for development of AN in Asian preadolescent school children. Methods: Body mass index (BMI), percentage weight for height (PWH), percentage body fat (PBF), and AN of the neck were evaluated in children in the fifth grade of all elementary schools in one metropolitan, Korean city (2117 boys and 1916 girls, mean age 10.9 ± 0.6 years, mean BMI 18.6 ± 3.3 kg/m²). Results: The prevalence of AN was 8.4% in boys and 5.1% in girls, and was proportional to the BMI, PWH, and PBF. The prevalence of AN rose steeply in the 80th and 90th percentiles of the BMI, PWH, and PBF in boys and girls, respectively. According to receiver operating characteristic analysis, AN was observed in boys with BMI >22.2 kg/m², and in girls with BMI >21.2 kg/m², which are below the current criteria for childhood obesity (local BMI 95th percentile and International Obesity Task Force BMI 30 kg/m²). Conclusions: AN has a good correlation with level of adiposity, and was already present in overweight children that were not considered obese by definition.     

Body fat ratios in urban Chinese children

OBJECTIVE: As obesity has been increasing in China, the present study examined the body composition of children to assess their fatness. STUDY DESIGN: A total of 532 healthy schoolchildren who lived in central Beijing were examined. Skinfold thicknesses, hip and waist circumferences, and body fat percentage were measured, as well as height and weight. RESULTS: The prevalence of overweight (Body Mass Index (BMI) >or= 95% for age and sex of Chinese children) was 27.7% in boys and 14.2% in girls (chi-squared; P = 0.0001). The percentages of body fat (BF%), waist/hip ratios and skinfold thicknesses ratios (subscapular/triceps) in overweight children were significantly higher than those in non-overweight children (Mann-Whitney U-test). The BF% of non-overweight boys was significantly higher than that of non-overweight girls. CONCLUSION: Urban Chinese overweight children have high BF% with adverse fat distribution. They may have high risk of atherogeniety. Boys in the non-overweight category may have higher fat accumulation than predicted by BMI. The establishment of an intervention program for childhood obesity is strongly recommended.     

Waist circumference is an independent predictor of insulin resistance in black and white youths

OBJECTIVES: We examined how well waist circumference (WC) reflects total and abdominal fat and whether WC predicts insulin resistance independent of body mass index (BMI) percentile in youths. STUDY DESIGN: Body composition was measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry and abdominal adiposity by computed tomography. Insulin sensitivity was measured by the hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp. RESULTS: Both BMI percentile and WC were significantly associated (P < .01) with total and abdominal fat and insulin sensitivity. WC remained a significant (P < .01) correlate of total and abdominal fat and insulin sensitivity after controlling for BMI percentile. By contrast, BMI percentile did not remain a significant correlate of visceral fat and markers of insulin resistance after controlling for WC. Without exception, WC explained a greater variance in abdominal fat and metabolic profiles than did BMI percentile. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that the prediction of health risks associated with obesity in youths is improved by the additional inclusion of WC measure to the BMI percentile. Such observations would reinforce the importance of including WC in the assessment of childhood obesity to identify those at increased metabolic risk due to excess abdominal fat.     

Association of physical fitness and body mass index in youth

AIM: The aim of this study was to establish physical fitness (PF) levels in a school population of 11-18-year-old students and analyse differences according to body mass index (BMI) status in overweight METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study. The sample comprises 636 children and adolescents (mean age of 14.5+/-1.5 years), 288 boys (45.3%) and girls 347 (54.7%). Six tests from Fitness-gram battery were used as an objective measure of physical fitness. Overweight/ Obesity status was determined using age and sex adjusted cut-off points. RESULTS: Both girls and boys with obesity performed a significantly reduced number of tests in healthy fitness zone suggesting a decrease of performances in strength and cardiovascular fitness, from normal weight status to overweight and from overweight to obesity. Boys and girls with obesity are likely to be Under HFZ than normal weight. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that obese and overweight children have low PF level compared to normal weight peers. A large number of children with normal weight were identified as well as unfit. These data also showed that a low BMI level would significantly improve some PF component.     

Fitness levels of Greek primary schoolchildren in relationship to overweight and obesity

Objectives The aim of the present cross-sectional study was to provide estimates for overweight and obesity in a sample of Greek schoolchildren and to determine their possible relation with selected motor and health-related fitness parameters.Materials and methods The study sample consisted of 709 healthy children (328 girls, 381 boys, mean age = 8.9±1.6 years), living in the towns of Agios Stefanos (∼12 000 citizens) and Alexandroupolis (∼60 000 citizens), Greece. All pupils underwent anthropometric, motor and cardiovascular fitness assessments (Eurofit test battery). The body mass index (BMI) cut-off points adopted by the International Obesity Task Force were utilized for the assessment of overweight and obesity.Results 59.4% of the participants had a normal BMI, 25.8% were overweight and 14.8% were obese, without significant differences between genders.Discussions In general, the higher BMI categories were strongly associated with inferior performances in all fitness tests, except flexibility. This graded relationship was consistent for both boys and girls, although the statistical relationship between BMI categories and fitness performance varied by gender.Conclusions In conclusion, the findings of the current study offer some support to the reported high prevalence of childhood obesity in Greece and suggest that overweight and obesity are limiting factors for fitness performance in primary schoolchildren. The present data suggest that interventions promoting children’s health should, ideally, begin early in life and involve measures that simultaneously improve fitness and lower fatness.     

Maternal infant-feeding style and children's adiposity at 5 years of age

OBJECTIVES: To examine the relationship between maternal infant-feeding style and adiposity in childhood and to determine whether feeding style explains any of the association between maternal obesity and childhood adiposity. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: Cincinnati metropolitan area. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 313 preschool children; 80% were white and 20% were black. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Seven factors describing maternal infant-feeding style derived from the Infant Feeding Questionnaire administered at age 3 years; maternal obesity, defined as a body mass index of 30 or higher before pregnancy; and adiposity at 5 years of age as assessed by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. RESULTS: The mean +/- SD fat mass was 4.55 +/- 1.64 kg. Seventeen percent of the mothers were obese before pregnancy. Children whose mothers had high concern about the infant overeating or becoming overweight (the highest tertile of the "overeating" factor) had 0.67 kg (95% confidence interval, 0.31-1.03 kg) higher fat mass than children whose mothers did not have high concern (the other 2 tertiles). None of the other 6 feeding factors were related to childhood adiposity. Children of obese mothers had 0.54 kg (95% confidence interval, 0.10-0.98 kg) higher fat mass than children of nonobese mothers. High concern about the infant overeating, which was more common in obese mothers, accounted for 15% of this 0.54-kg difference. CONCLUSION: High maternal concern about an infant overeating or becoming overweight was associated with higher adiposity at 5 years of age and explained some of the association between maternal obesity and child adiposity.     

Obesity in the Young Child: Whither and Whence?

ABSTRACT. The prevalence of obesity in British infants in the early 1970s has been attributed to overfeeding and early weaning but cannot be totally explained by this. Obesity in early life is a consequence of the cyclical nature of fat deposition in childhood. Fat deposition in early infancy is succeeded by a lean tissue deposition phase and then a further acceleration of fat accretion—the adiposity rebound—in early school years. The age at onset of adiposity rebound relates more closely to later obesity than does the nutritional status in infancy. The propensity to deposit fat readily is probably genetically determined although dependent for expression on the nurturing environment. Since the number of young children at risk of obesity is so great, measures that modify national diet and activity rather than concentrate on controlling individual fat deposition, may be the most efficient way of preventing obesity in adult life. Key words: Obesity, body composition, adiposity rebound .     

Overweight and obesity prevalence in children and adolescents from a private school in Recife

OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of overweight and obesity in students from a private school in Recife; compare the prevalence rates of overweight and obesity in boys and girls and in different age groups (children and adolescents) and verify the correlation between body mass index and triceps skinfold thickness in this population. METHODS: Cross-sectional study with 762 students (332 children and 430 adolescents) from a middle/upper class school in Recife, in 1999. Overweight was defined as body mass index equal or above the 85th percentile for age and gender. Obesity was defined as body mass index and triceps skinfold thickness equal or above the 85th percentile. RESULTS: The prevalence rates were 26.2% (95%CI = 23 to 29%) for overweight, and 8.5% (CI95% = 6.5 to 10.5%) for obesity. Overweight was more prevalent among children (34.3%) than among adolescents (20.0%) (P<0.001). Obesity was more frequent among children (14.2%) than among adolescents (4.2%) (P<0.001). The prevalence of overweight in boys (34.6%) was higher than in girls (20.6%) (P<0.001). The prevalence of obesity was also higher in boys (14.7%) than in girls (4.4%) (P<0.001). The correlation coefficient between body mass index and triceps skinfold thickness was equal to 0.64 (95%CI = 0.60 to 0.68). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of overweight in our study population was as high as that found in industrialized countries; obesity, however, was less frequent.     

Pubertal maturation in girls and the relationship to anthropometric changes: pathways through puberty

OBJECTIVE: Patterns of pubertal maturation may have an impact on several risk factors associated with adult morbidity and mortality, such as obesity. We examined the relationship of the initial manifestation of puberty in girls with anthropometric measures, as well as age at menarche. METHODS: White females (n = 1166, ages 9 and 10 at intake) were followed with annual visits for 10 years. Physical examinations included height, weight, skinfold thicknesses, and pubertal maturation assessment. RESULTS: During the course of the study, 443 of 859 eligible females (51.6%) were observed to have asynchronous maturation in the development of puberty, that is, initial areolar/breast (thelarche pathway) or pubic hair (adrenarche pathway) development, without development of the other characteristic. Using a longitudinal regression model, significant interactions were noted between initial pubertal manifestation and years since onset of puberty on the following outcomes: sum of skinfolds thickness, percent body fat, waist-to-hip ratio, and body mass index (BMI). However, age of onset of pubertal maturation was the same in the 2 groups (10.7 years). Females in the thelarche pathway had earlier menarche (12.6 vs 13.1 years) as well as greater skinfolds, body fat, and BMI at the time of menarche. Females in the thelarche pathway also had greater body fat and BMI 1 year before puberty and throughout puberty compared with those in the adrenarche pathway. CONCLUSIONS: Females who enter puberty through the thelarche pathway, as compared with the adrenarche pathway, had greater sum of skinfold thicknesses, BMI, and percent body fat 1 year before the onset, as well as throughout, puberty. Because larger body composition and earlier age of menarche of females in the thelarche pathway parallel the epidemiologic profiles of women who are obese or at risk for obesity, these females may be at greater risk for adult obesity.     

Relation of circulating oxidized LDL to obesity and insulin resistance in children

Kelly AS, Jacobs DR Jr, Sinaiko AR, Moran A, Steffen LM, Steinberger J. Relation of circulating oxidized LDL to obesity and insulin resistance in children. Introduction: Circulating oxidized low‐density lipoprotein (LDL), a marker of oxidative stress, is associated with obesity, insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, and cardiovascular disease in adults. However, little is known about its relation to insulin resistance and cardiovascular risk factors in children. The purpose of this study was to assess the relation of oxidative stress, measured by circulating oxidized LDL, with measures of adiposity and insulin resistance in children. Methods: Oxidized LDL, measures of body fatness (body mass index: BMI, percent body fat, waist circumference, percent trunk fat, abdominal visceral and subcutaneous fat), insulin resistance with euglycemic insulin clamp (Mlbm), blood pressure, and blood lipids were obtained in 78 children. Oxidized LDL was compared between normal weight children (BMI < 85th percentile) and overweight/obese children (BMI ≥ 85th percentile) and levels were evaluated for associations with body fatness and insulin resistance. Results: Oxidized LDL levels were significantly higher in overweight/obese vs. normal weight children (p < 0.0001). Oxidized LDL was significantly correlated with BMI, percent body fat, waist circumference, percent trunk fat, abdominal visceral fat, and abdominal subcutaneous fat (all p‐values <0.0001). Moreover, oxidized LDL was negatively correlated with Mlbm, even after adjustment for adiposity (p < 0.01). Conclusions: Oxidized LDL is significantly associated with adiposity and with insulin resistance, independent of body fatness, in children. Oxidative stress may be independently related to the development of insulin resistance early in life, especially in obese youth.