Body Mass Index Has a Good Correlation with Proatherosclerotic Profile in Children and Adolescents

Background: More recently, the association of different risk factors has been described as the metabolic syndrome. Different definitions are being used for the same syndrome. Regardless of the name or classification, it has been well established that a cardiovascular cluster including overweight/obesity, increased blood pressure, and lipid and glucose abnormalities are associated with an increased risk of atherosclerosis in adults.

Objective: The aim of this study was to correlate body mass index percentiles with blood pressure, insulin resistance index, and lipid profiles in children and adolescents, which characterize a proatherosclerotic profile.

Methods: Cardiovascular risk factor clusters were evaluated in 118 children and adolescents divided according to body mass index percentile (BMIP) quartiles: Q1 (n=23) with BMIP <50%, Q2 (n=30) with BMIP between 50 and 85%, Q3 (n=31) with BMIP between 85 and 93%, and Q4 (n=34) with the BMIP > 93%. Statistically significant differences were not observed for age (F=2.1; p=0.10); sex (chi-square test=3.0; p=0.38), and ethnicity (chi-square test=4.7; p=0.20) between different quartiles.

Results: A statistically significant difference was observed for systolic BP (F=15.4; p<0.0001), diastolic BP (F=9.5; p<0.0001), glycemia (F=9.6; p<0.0001), insulin (F=12.9; p<0.0001), HOMAir (F=30.8; p<0.0001), and triglyceride levels (F=2.7; p=0.05) between the different quartiles.

Conclusion: Excess weight evaluated by BMIP was associated with increased blood pressure, triglycerides, HOMAir index, and low HDL-cholesterol, a proatherosclerotic profile in children and adolescents.