Metabolic syndrome and visceral fat thickness in obese adolescents

Background Metabolic syndrome (MS) is one of the long-term consequences of obesity which can be found in adolescents. MS is caused by excessive visceral fat accumulation. The visceral fat thickness (VFT) itself can be measured by using waist circumference (WC) measurement and abdominal ultrasonography. Until now, there are no WC and VFT cut-off points to predict MS in children and adolescents. This study used MS criteria based on National Cholesterol Education Program – Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP-ATP III) which specifically modified. Objective The objectives of this study are (a) to determine the MS ocurrence based on modified NCEP-ATP III in obese adolescents; (b) to measure the VFT by using abdominal ultrasonography in obese adolescent with MS and obese adolescent without MS. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study from March to May 2006. Fifty obese adolescents were recruited from several junior and senior high schools in Jakarta. Results Of those 50 obese adolescents, there were 34 subjects with WC>P 80 and 16 subjects with WC <P 80 . Of those 34 subjects with WC>P 80 , 17 subjects had MS and the others had no MS. All the 16 subjects with WC <P 80 did not have MS. The VFT in 17 subjects with WC>P 80 who had MS was 5.19 cm (SD 2.07 cm). The VFT in 17 subjects with WC>P 80 who had no MS was 3.94 cm (SD 1.62 cm). The VFT in all 16 subjects with WC <P 80 who did not have MS was 3.54 cm (SD 0.92 cm). All obese adolescents with MS had WC>P 80 and they also had visceral fat which was thicker than obese adolescents without MS. Conclusions All obese adolescents with MS have WC>P 80 and thicker visceral fat than obese adolescents without MS; the VFT of obese adolescents without MS, who had WC>P 80 was 3.94 cm (SD 1.62 cm), and the VFT of obese adolescents without MS, who had WC