Prevalence of some components of metabolic syndrome in children and adolescents with overweight and obesity. Findings from the study of risk factors for cardiovascular illness in children and adolescents

ABSTRACT: Increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity in children and adolescents increases the risk of metabolic syndrome. Objective: to describe the prevalence of several components of metabolic syndrome in children and adolescents with overweight and obesity as compared with a control group. Methodology: It was a cross-sectional descriptive study derived from the study “Factores de riesgo cardiovascular en escolares y adolescentes de la ciudad de Medellín, Colombia, 2003”. As components of the metabolic syndrome were considered: triglycerides ≥110 mg/dL, cHDL ≤40 mg/dL, pre-prandial glucose ≥100 mg/dL, and arterial blood pressure ≥ percentile 90 (mm Hg). Results: The final sample included three groups: 121 obese, 240 overweighted and 361 people as control. Triglycerides as well as systolic and diastolic blood pressure were significantly lower in control group than the others, while cHDL was significantly higher in this group compared with the others. Prevalence of presence of at least one of the component of the metabolic syndrome showed a positive trend with regard to the Body Mass Index, consequently, children and adolescents obese had a higher prevalence of at least three or more components of metabolic syndrome. Conclusion: overweight and obesity are associated with a higher prevalence of metabolic syndrome. However, children and adolescents with normal Body Mass Index showed to have both risk factors and alteration of some components of metabolic syndrome rendering them more susceptible to develop the syndrome.RESUMEN: El aumento en la prevalencia del sobrepeso y obesidad en escolares y adolescentes aumenta el riesgo de síndrome metabólico. Objetivo: describir la prevalencia de algunos componentes del síndrome metabólico en escolares y adolescentes con sobrepeso y obesidad comparados con un grupo control. Metodología: estudio descriptivo de corte transversal derivado del estudio “Factores de riesgo cardiovascular en escolares y adolescentes de la ciudad de Medellín, Colombia, 2003”. Se consideraron componentes del síndrome metabólico triglicéridos ≥110 mg/dL, cHDL ≤40 mg/dL, glucosa en ayunas ≥100 mg/dL, presión arterial mm Hg ≥ percentil 90. Resultados: muestra final 121 obesos, 240 con sobrepeso y 361 controles. De los componentes evaluados, los triglicéridos y la presión arterial sistólica y diastólica fueron significativamente menores en el grupo control, en quienes el cHDL fue significativamente mayor. Las prevalencias de la presencia de uno o más de los componentes de síndrome metabólico mostró una tendencia positiva con el índice de masa corporal, de tal forma que los escolares y adolescentes con obesidad mostraron la mayor prevalencia en la presencia de tres o más componentes del síndrome Conclusión: el sobrepeso y la obesidad se asocian con una mayor prevalencia del síndrome metabólico. Sin embargo, los escolares y adolescentes con un índice de masa corporal normal presentan tanto factores de riesgo como alteración en algunos componentes del síndrome metabólico que los hacen igualmente susceptibles a su desarrollo