[The selected risk factors of the metabolic syndrome in children].

INTRODUCTION

Obesity is the main component of the metabolic syndrome, which appears to be one of the biggest social problems nowadays. The metabolic syndrome can start even in childhood and then risk factors of cardiovascular diseases should be diagnosed and a prophylaxis should be undertaken.

THE AIM OF THE STUDY

was the evaluation of the selected lipid parameters in the serum in children and adolescents with simple obesity.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The study was conducted on 305 children (156 boys and 149 girls) aged 6.5-17.9 years. The state of nutrition was estimated on the basis of anthropometrical measurements with the evaluation of body weight and height as well as the evaluation of BMI. The obesity was found in 119 children (61 boys and 58 girls) whose BMI was over 95 percentiles. There were 186 children (95 boys and 91 girls) whose BMI was between 25 and 75 percentiles in the control group. In 90 children with the diagnosed simple obesity 10 skinfolds were measured. In all of the studied children concentrations of triglycerides, total cholesterol and HDL cholesterol were determined in the blood serum. The concentration of LDL and VLDL cholesterol were calculated by the Friedewald formula. The obtained research results were analysed statistically. The values of BMI and the lipid parameters among children and adolescents with simple obesity were compared with the control group.

RESULTS

Within the group of boys and girls with obesity higher concentration of total cholesterol (p<0.001) and girls (p<0.05) and LDL cholesterol (p<0.001; p<0.001) were found. However, the significantly lower concentration of HDL cholesterol was found within the girls with obesity in comparison to the control group (p<0.05). The significant negative correlation between the sum of 3 skinfold thickness and concentration of HDL cholesterol were found.

CONCLUSIONS

The existence of atherogenic lipids profile in children with obesity allows us to conclude that the children may constitute a group within which there exist risk factors characteristic for the metabolic syndrome.