Cardiometabolic risk is associated with the severity of sleep-disordered breathing in children with obesity

Abstract

Background: The alarming progression of pediatric obesity is associated with the development of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB), and both exhibit similar adverse cardiometabolic health outcomes. Physical activity level (PAL) may counteract sleep and metabolic disturbances. The present study investigates i) the association between the metabolic syndrome in childhood obesity and SDB, ii) the impact of SDB severity on cardiometabolic risk scores and PAL in children with obesity.

Methods: Maturation status (Tanner stages), anthropometric (height, weight, body mass index, waist circumference, body adiposity index) and cardiometabolic characteristics (systolic and diastolic blood pressure, lipid and glycemic profiles) were assessed in 83 obese children (mean±SD, age: 10.7±2.7years). PAL and SDB were investigated with a step test and interviews, and an overnight sleep monitor, respectively. The presence or absence of metabolic syndrome (MS) was established and continuous cardiometabolic risk scores were calculated (MetScore_BMI and MetScore_WC).

Results: Obese children with (61.4%) and without (38.6%) MS present similar SDB. SDB severity is associated with increased insulin concentrations, MetScore_BMI and MetScore_WC (p<0.05) in obese children. There is no association between SDB and PAL.

Conclusions: In a context where no consensus exists for SDB diagnosis in children, our results suggest the influence of SDB severity on cardiometabolic risk factors. Further studies are needed to explore the association between PAL and both metabolic and sleep alterations in obese children.

Keywords: Children; MetScore; Obesity; Physical activity; Sleep.