Clinical Study of Metabolic Syndrome in Children and Adolescents of Argentina.

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome (MS) represent a public health problem. OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence and distribution of MS in adolescents with overweight/obesity (OW/OB) and normal weight (NW) and examine variables associated with MS and its components. METHODS: A cross-sectional comparative study in 2 groups of adolescents aged 10 to 19 years of 7 provinces of Argentina. A survey social, demographic, dietary habits, physical activity (AF), physical examination and determine the anthropometric and biochemical indicators. RESULTS: We evaluated 1,009 adolescents, 398 males (39.4 %), 601 (59.6 %) controls (NW) and 408 (40.4 %) cases (OW/OB). The prevalence of MS in the OW/OB was 40.3 % and 0 % in the NP. We found significant differences in family history of OW/OB, birth weight, age at menarche, presence of acanthosis nigricans, waist circumference (WC) above the cut-off and all metabolic laboratory measures. The OW/OB had a higher proportion of constituents of MS (3.7 % basal hyperglycemia, 27.9 % hyperinsulinemia, 53.2 % higher HOMA index, 45.6 % low HDL cholesterol, 37.7 % higher triglycerides and 13.5 % higher blood pressure). The WC was positively correlated with blood pressure, triglycerides, insulin, HOMA and Body Mass Index - Z Score and negatively with HDL cholesterol. All patients studied had poor eating habits and adolescents with MS had shorter physical activity. CONCLUSIONS: Obesity is a determinant of SM (40%) and central body fat is associated with its components.