Department of Pediatrics and Endocrinology, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
Eur J Med Res. 2010 Nov 4;15 Suppl 2(Suppl 2):147-51. doi: 10.1186/2047-783x-15-s2-147.
The prevalence of obesity in children and adolescents has been increasing worldwide. As in adults, childhood obesity is closely related to hypertension, dyslipidemia, type 2 diabetes, and insulin resistance (IR) syndrome. Moreover, obese children have been found to be at increased risk of becoming obese adults. Obese children and adolescents tend to develop serious medical and psychosocial complications and also are at greater risk morbidity and mortality in adulthood. The molecular basis of the pathogenesis of obesity-linked disorders has not been fully elucidated. Adipose tissue serves not only as an energy storage organ, but also as an endocrine organ. It releases many factors with autocrine, paracrine and endocrine functions. Adipokines such as leptin, resistin, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6, adipsin, visfatin, and adiponectin are biologically active molecules produced by adipose tissue. They play a role in energy homeostasis, and in glucose and lipid metabolism. Adiponectin level, unlike that of other adipocytokines, is decreased in obesity and increased after weight reduction. Adiponectin has been associated with both central obesity and increased visceral adipose tissue and it has anti-inflammatory, anti-atherogenic, and potent insulin-sensitizing (anti-diabetic) effects.
儿童和青少年肥胖症的患病率在全球范围内不断增加。与成年人一样，儿童肥胖与高血压、血脂异常、2 型糖尿病和胰岛素抵抗（IR）综合征密切相关。此外，肥胖儿童更容易成为肥胖成年人。肥胖的儿童和青少年往往会出现严重的医疗和心理社会并发症，并且在成年后患发病率和死亡率也更高。肥胖相关疾病发病机制的分子基础尚未完全阐明。脂肪组织不仅是能量储存器官，也是内分泌器官。它释放具有自分泌、旁分泌和内分泌功能的许多因子。脂联素、抵抗素、肿瘤坏死因子-α、白细胞介素-6、脂联蛋白酶、内脏脂肪素和脂联素等脂肪细胞因子是由脂肪组织产生的具有生物活性的分子。它们在能量平衡以及葡萄糖和脂质代谢中发挥作用。脂联素水平与其他脂肪细胞因子不同，在肥胖症中降低，而在减肥后增加。脂联素与中心性肥胖和内脏脂肪组织增加有关，具有抗炎、抗动脉粥样硬化和有效的胰岛素增敏（抗糖尿病）作用。
