Potential Role of New Anthropometric Parameters in Childhood Obesity with or Without Metabolic Syndrome

Nagwa Abdallah  Ismail; Shadia H. Ragab; Abeer  M. Nour E lDin Abd ElBaky; Mona Hamid  Ibrahim

doi:10.3889/oamjms.2019.698

Authors

Nagwa Abdallah Ismail Pediatrics Department, Medical Research Division, National Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt
Shadia H. Ragab Pediatrics Department, Medical Research Division, National Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt
Abeer M. Nour E lDin Abd ElBaky Pediatrics Department, Medical Research Division, National Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt
Mona Hamid Ibrahim Pediatrics Department, Medical Research Division, National Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3889/oamjms.2019.698

Keywords:

Obese children, Body round index [BRI], Visceral adiposity index [VAI], A body shape index [ABSI], Metabolic syndrome (MS)

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Obese children and adolescents are more prone to have metabolic syndrome (MS).MS is a cluster of cardiovascular risk factors associated with insulin resistance. Body round index [BRI], visceral adiposity index [VAI] and a body shape index [ABSI] are among the new obesity anthropometric parameters.

AIM: To evaluate the new markers for obesity in children and their possible association with other laboratory and clinical variables of MS.

METHODS: Eighty nine obese children and 40 controls aged 10-18 years were recruited. Full history taking, thorough clinical examination, anthropometric and biochemical features were performed in the studied groups. Subcutaneous fat thickness (SFT) and visceral fat thickness (VFT) were estimated by ultrasonography.

RESULTS: Obese children, exhibited significantly higher values in all anthropometric measurements (P < 0.001). Diastolic and systolic blood pressure were significantly higher (P < 0.001) in the obese group. ABSI, BRI and VAI have been found to be significantly higher in obese subjects (P < 0.001), with no significant gender difference. BMI, WHtR, WC/HR, SBP, DBP, subcutaneous fat thickness and visceral fat thickness, Liver Span, ABSI, BRI, VAI and HOMA_IR were significantly higher among children with MS than those without MS. Positive significant correlations of VAI with BMI, WC/Ht, WC/Hip, SBP, DBP, SFT, VFT, Liver size and HOMA-IR (r = 0.384, 0.239, 0.268, 0.329, 0.516, 0.320, 0.254, 0.251, and 0.278 respectively) are shown. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) of BMI, VAI, ABSI, BRI for predicting MS was 0.802 (0.701-0.902), 0.737 (0.33-0.841), 0.737 (0.620-0.855), 0.816 (0.698-0.934).

CONCLUSION: We suggest using the VAI and WHtR indexes, as they are better predictor of MS.