Hyperleptinemia, dyslipidema and hyperinsulinemia in obese Egyptian children

Abstract AR

Background and aim : Obesity is a major health hazard predisposing lo many life- threatening conditions.

Identification of the associated biochemical and cndocrinal changes with simple obesity in children is important in understanding its pathogenesis and appropriate management.

So, the present study was planned lo detect the possible biochemical and cndocrinal abnormalities in obese children.

Subjects and methods : A case-control design was utilized lo compare the biochemical and endocrinal parameters in 100 obese children and 20 apparently healthy non-obese children age and sex matched to the obesegroup.

The study populations were rccruited from primary, preparatory, and secondary schools at Ismailia Govemorcte.

Family'history, clinical examination, and assessment of obesity by calculating body mass index (BMI) were conducted for all included children.

Serum levels of fasting and post-prandial blood glucose, cholesterol, triglyceride.

HDL, l.DL.

apolipoprotein-A and B, liver enzymes, insulin, triiodothyronin (T3), thyroxin (T4), cortisol and leptin were assayed for each participant.

Results: All obese children (40 males and 60 females) with age ranged from 4 to 17 years, had positive family history of obesity, 56 % of them had history of high birth weight.

F.iglil percent showed elevated blood pressure above 95 percentile for age.

There was a statistically significant increase of cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL, apolipoprotein-A and apolipoprotcin-B among the obese children in comparison to those of the control.

The 1IDL did nol .show any significant difference between the two groups.

The mean serum levels of serum leptin, serum insulin were found to be significantly higher in obese children than that in the control group (P < 0.01) despite the normal values of blood glucose.

Comparison of the mean values of serum cortisol and thyroid hormones did not show any significant difference between the obese and non-obese groups.

Conclusion : Childhood obesity is positively related to positive family history of obesity.

It is also significantly associated with hyperleptinemia, dyslipidemia, and hyperinsulinemia.

Recommendation : Obese child should be checked up for the disturbed biochemical and cndocrinal parameters to prevent or modify any disturbance at an early phase before development of [lie clinical disease or its related complications.

The disturbed lipids, insulin and leptin might have a role in development of obesity or they might be ’consequences of it, a long-term follow- up study is awaited to address such question.