Obesity, central adiposity and cardiometabolic risk factors in children and adolescents: a family-based study

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this study was to assess genetic and phenotypic correlations of obesity-related cardiometabolic risk factors in a family-based cohort.

Methods: Anthropometric, body composition and biochemical measurements were collected on 999 members of 111 extended Midwestern US families of Northern European origin. Forward stepwise regression was used to identify which of Tanner stage, sex, Tanner stage by sex, body fat mass index, body fat percentage (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry), visceral fat (VF)/subcutaneous fat (SubQF) (computed tomography scans for adults or magnetic resonance imaging for children), VF, SubQF, body mass index (BMI)% and waist to height ratio most influence homeostasis model assessment (HOMA), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c), plasma triglycerides (TG) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c).

Results: In children and adolescents, subcutaneous adiposity was the most significant covariate for HOMA (P < 0.001) and TG (P = 0.001), and BMI percentile for HDL-c (P = 0.002) and LDL-c (P < 0.001). In adults, waist-height ratio (P < 0.001), VF/SubQF ratio (P = 0.001) and BMI (P = 0.02) were most significant for HOMA; VF (P < 0.001) and BMI (P = 0.02) for TG and VF for LDL-c (P = 0.001).

Conclusion: Subcutaneous adiposity at the waist is a more significant predictor of metabolic syndrome traits in children and adolescents than it is in adults.

Keywords: Adolescent obesity; central adiposity; dyslipidaemia; insulin resistance.

Figure 1. Phenotypic and genetic correlation between body composition traits and metabolic risk factors

Genetic correlations (ρ_g) are shown on the left and phenotypic (ρ_p) on the right. Colored tones indicate statistically significant (p<0.05) correlations, with red strongest and yellow weakest for positive correlations; deep blue strongest and light blue weakest for negative correlations.