Glucose alteration and insulin resistance in asymptomatic obese children and adolescents

Abstract

Objective: Obesity is associated with the abnormal glucose metabolism preceding type 2 diabetes mellitus. Thus, further investigation on the prediction of this lethal outcome must be sought. The objective was the profile glycemic assessment of asymptomatic obese children and adolescents from Salvador, Brazil.

Method: A fasting venous blood sample was obtained from 90 consecutive obese individuals aged 8-18 years, of both sexes, for laboratory determinations of glycated hemoglobin, basal insulin, and the Homeostasis Model Assessment Insulin Resistance index. The clinical evaluation included weight, height, waist circumference, assessment of pubertal development, and acanthosis nigricans research. The body mass index/age indicator was used for the severity of overweight assessment.

Results: Glycemic alterations were evidenced clinically and biochemically, although these individuals had no complaints or symptoms related to blood sugar levels. Quantitative and qualitative variables were respectively expressed measures of central tendency/dispersion and simple/relative frequency, using the SPSS, version 20.0. A p-value <0.05 was considered significant.

Conclusion: Notably, this study found a high prevalence of glucose and insulin disorders in asymptomatic obese children and adolescents.

Keywords: Blood glucose; Diabetes mellitus; Glicemia; Hiperglicemia; Hyperglycemia; Obesidade; Obesity.