Yonsei Med J.  2011 Jan;52(1):39-44. 10.3349/ymj.2011.52.1.39.

Association of Visceral Fat and Risk Factors for Metabolic Syndrome in Children and Adolescents

• Kwon JH
• Jang HY
• Oh MJ
• Rho JS
• Jung JH
• Yum KS
• Han JW

• KMID: 1106435
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3349/ymj.2011.52.1.39

Abstract

PURPOSE
Visceral fat (VF) is closely associated with many metabolic risk factors and is also known to be a strong predictive factor for severe metabolic complications in adults. But there are only a few studies concerning the association of VF and risk factors for metabolic syndrome (MS) in children and adolescents. In our study, we emphasized the association of VF [measured by VF computed tomography (VFCT)] and risk factors for metabolic syndrome in children and adolescents.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The subjects were outpatients aged 6 to 18 years who underwent VFCT in the family medicine of The Catholic University of Korea from January 2005 to August 2009. There were 82 patients in total (42 children, 40 adolescents). Height, weight, blood pressure (BP), blood tests, body composition analysis and VF were measured. The three groups were also classified by metabolic score.
RESULTS
In children, only high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) showed a statistically significant difference, while in adolescents, triglyceride, HDL-C, BP, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC) and VFA showed statistically significant differences. In terms of VFA, fasting glucose, BP, BMI, basal metabolic rate (BMR) and WC showed statistically significant differences. BMI showed a statistically significant difference in terms of BP, BMR, WC, VFA and HDL-C.
CONCLUSION
There is a need to acknowledge the statistically significant associations of VF and risk factors for MS in children and adolescents. Screening tests for BP, cholesterol, fasting glucose and WC should be given in clinics for children and adolescents so that MS can be detected and its risk factors treated early.

Keyword

Children; adolescents; metabolic syndrome; visceral fat

MeSH Terms

Adolescent
Body Mass Index
Child
Female
Humans
Intra-Abdominal Fat/*physiology
Male
Metabolic Syndrome X/*epidemiology/metabolism/physiopathology
Risk Factors
Waist Circumference/physiology

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