3.8 Childhood Obesity: Does it have any Effect on Young Arteries?

Abstract

Background

Prevalence of overweight (OW) and obesity (O) in children and adolescents has been increased in the past three decades. Obese children are prone to develop early cardiovascular (CV) morbidity in their adult life. Impaired arterial stiffness might be detected in this population. The aim of our study was to compare the arterial function parameters (AFPs) in O/OW patients and healthy subjects.

Methods

6.816 subjects (3.668 boys) aged 3–18 years were recruited and categorised by their body mass index (BMI) into normal weight (N), OW and O groups regarding their age and sex. AFPs were measured by occlusive-oscillometric device. Propensity score matching was carried as statistical test.

Results

19.9% (n = 1.356) of the population were OW/O, 911 (516 boys) were OW and 445 (273 boys) were O. PWVao did not differ significantly between N (5.9 ± 0.8 m/s) and OW patients (5.9 ± 0.8 m/s); and N (6.0 ± 0.7 m/s) and O patients (6.0 ± 0.8 m/s). Aixao was significantly lower in OW (9.3 ± 7.4% vs 7.6 ± 7.0%, p < 0.00001) and in O patients (9.7 ± 8.1% vs 6.6 ± 7.2%, p < 0.00001) compared to controls. No significant difference was found regarding SBP_ao values between controls and OW and O groups (N = 110.7 ± 12.4 mmHg vs OW = 110.3 ± 11.9 mmHg; N = 115.6 ± 14.0 mmHg vs O = 114.3 ± 12.8 mmHg).

Conclusions

Aortic stiffness — expressed by PWV_ao — did not differ between N and O/OW children and adolescents, however Aix_ao was remarkably, significantly lower in O/OW patients. We may conclude that the pathophysiological consequences in the circulatory system due to childhood OW/O are compensated hemodynamically in these patients, presumably by decreasing total peripheral vascular resistance.