Waist circumference in children and adolescents correlate with metabolic syndrome and fat deposits in young adults

• Published in: Clinical nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland) Vol. 32; no. 1; pp. 93 - 97
• Main Authors: Spolidoro, Jose Vicente, Pitrez Filho, Manoel L, Vargas, Luiz T, Santana, João C, Pitrez, Eduardo, Hauschild, Jorge A, Bruscato, Neide M, Moriguchi, Emilio H, Medeiros, Augusto K, Piva, Jefferson P
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.02.2013; Elsevier
• Subjects: Abdominal fat; Adipogenesis; Adiposity; Adolescent; Adolescent Development; adolescents; Biological and medical sciences; blood; Body Mass Index; Brazil; Child; Child Development; children; Cohort Studies; computed tomography; Early Diagnosis; Feeding. Feeding behavior; Female; females; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gastroenterology and Hepatology; Humans; Intra-Abdominal Fat - diagnostic imaging; Intra-Abdominal Fat - pathology; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Medical sciences; Metabolic diseases; metabolic syndrome; Metabolic Syndrome - blood; Metabolic Syndrome - complications; Metabolic Syndrome - diagnosis; Metabolic Syndrome - pathology; Miscellaneous; monitoring; Obesity; Obesity - complications; Obesity - diagnostic imaging; Other metabolic disorders; overweight; Overweight - complications; Overweight - diagnostic imaging; patients; Pediatrics; screening; Sex Characteristics; subcutaneous fat; Subcutaneous Fat, Abdominal - diagnostic imaging; Subcutaneous Fat, Abdominal - pathology; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; visceral fat; Waist Circumference; young adults; Pediatrics; Waist circumference; Obesity; Abdominal fat; Child; Adolescent; Endocrinopathy; Human; Anthropometry; Cardiovascular disease; Metabolic diseases; Corporal biometry; Metabolic syndrome; Young adult; Fat; Waist hip ratio
• ISSN: 0261-5614; 1532-1983
• DOI: 10.1016/j.clnu.2012.05.020

Summary Background & aims To determine the relevance of waist circumference (WC) measurement and monitoring in children and adolescents as an early indicator of overweight, metabolic syndrome (MS) and cardiovascular problems in young adults in comparison with visceral and subcutaneous adiposity. Methods A cohort study with 159 subjects (51.6% female) started in 1999 with an average age of 13.2 years. In 1999, 2006 and 2008 weight, height, and WC were evaluated. In 2006 blood samples for laboratory diagnosis of MS were added. In 2008 abdominal computed tomography (ACT) to quantify the fat deposits were also added. Results The WC measured in children and adolescents was strongly correlated with body mass index (BMI) measured simultaneously. A strong correlation was established between WC in 1999 with measures of WC and BMI as young adults. WC strongly correlated with fat deposits in ACT. The WC in 1999 expressed more subcutaneous fat (SAT), while the WC when young adults expressed strong correlation with both visceral fat (VAT) and SAT. The correlation of WC with fat deposits was stronger in females. WC and not BMI in 1999 was significantly higher in the group that evolved to MS. Conclusions The WC in children and adolescents was useful in screening patients for MS. WC expressed the accumulation of abdominal fat; especially subcutaneous fat.