Generalized or abdominal obesity: which one better identifies cardiometabolic risk factors among children and adolescents? The CASPIAN III study

Abstract

Objectives: We investigated the association of generalized and abdominal obesity with cardiometabolic risk factors in children and adolescents.

Methods: Data were obtained from a surveillance system entitled CASPIAN-III study in school students aged 10-18 years in Iran. Data of subjects with normal body mass index (BMI) or above (BMI ≥ 5th percentile) were analyzed. The associations of obesity with cardiometabolic risk factors were tested using logistic regression models.

Results: In the sample of 4641 children and adolescents, overweight/obese children were more likely to have metabolic syndrome and cardiometabolic risk factors compared with their normal weight counterparts. Among these parameters, elevated TG had the strongest association with degree of obesity (overweight: OR = 2.28 [95% CI 1.59-3.26]; obesity: OR = 5.63 [95% CI 4.27,7.43]). Combined generalized and abdominal obesity increased the risk of high blood pressure, elevated triglyceride and total cholesterol.

Conclusions: Combined type of generalized and abdominal obesity is a predictor of cardiometabolic risk factors.

Keywords: Iran; abdominal obesity; cardiometabolic risk; children; generalized obesity; metabolic syndrome.