Waist circumference, trunk and visceral fat cutoff values for detecting hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance in children: the Healthy Growth Study

Excerpt

The prevalence of childhood obesity is rapidly increasing worldwide, and it is associated with severe comorbidities [1]. Overweight and obesity in early childhood have been shown to increase the likelihood of being obese in later childhood [2], and it seems to also track to adulthood, when it becomes associated with an increased prevalence of chronic diseases like metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases [1]. Central obesity, which is characterized by intra-abdominal fat accumulation, is associated with abnormal cytokine expression and exacerbation of insulin resistance [3]. Insulin resistance is a critical link between adiposity and increased chronic disease risk, given its association with type 2 diabetes and the metabolic syndrome in both children and adults [3]. Therefore, early identification of insulin resistant states in children may serve as a valuable mean of disease prevention. …