Zinc, copper, and iron in obese children and adolescents

• Published in: Nutrition research (New York, N.Y.) Vol. 18; no. 2; pp. 183 - 189
• Main Authors: Perrone, Laura, Gialanella, Giancarlo, Moro, Renata, Feng, Song Ling, Boccia, Elvira, Palombo, Giuseppe, Carbone, Maria Teresa, Di Toro, Rosario
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 1998; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: adolescents; age differences; Biological and medical sciences; blood lipids; blood serum; body mass index; body weight; Cardiovascular risk factors; cholesterol; Copper; erythrocytes; ferritin; hair; Iron; Medical sciences; Metabolic diseases; nutritional status; Obesity; school children; skinfold thickness; Trace elements; triacylglycerols; Zinc; Obesity; Trace elements; Iron; Copper; Cardiovascular risk factors; Zinc; Human; Ethnic origin; Nutrition; Food habit; Sex; Inorganic element; Adolescent; Trace element (nutrient); Child; Age; Nutritional status
• ISSN: 0271-5317; 1879-0739
• DOI: 10.1016/S0271-5317(98)00011-6

Zinc, copper and iron content in different cells and fluids of 143 obese children and adolescents were compared with the content in the same matrices of 164 healthy controls matched for age, sex, ethnic origin, nutritional habit and income level. The measures obtained were correlated with some anthropometric and biological parameters currently considered as cardiovascular risk factors. Serum zinc level was found to be lower in obese than in normal subjects and inversely correlated with skinfold thickness. The serum copper concentration was inversely related to the age, triglycerides serum level and directly with skinfold thickness. Serum triglyceride concentration was higher in obese than in age-matched controls and positively correlated to total cholesterol. There was also a direct correlation between serum zinc and copper concentration, between serum iron and triglycerides. BMI correlated directly with skinfold thickness. No significant correlation was obtained between trace elements content in the studied matrices and total cholesterol or its fractions.