ASSESSMENT OF NUTRITIONAL STATUS IN OBESE CHILDREN DURING A 10 YEARS FOLLOW- UP AND CARDIO-METABOLIC RISK

Background and objectives: Incidence of childhood obesity and its complications (cardiovascular disease, diabetes, etc.) is increasing. Aim of the study was to evaluated nutritional status of a cohort of obese children with ten years follow-up and to assessed the relationship between body composition, liver and cardiovascular function. Methods: The cohort was 56 subjects (27 females and 29 males). The dropout was 10 subjects, 23 males and 23 females, aged respectively 10,6+/-1,8 and 9,8 +/-1,51 at time0 and 20,3+/- 1.9 and 21,0+/-21.5 at 10 years follow-up. Anamnesis and FFQ, blood pressure (DBP, SBP), blood analyses, weight, height was measured and Body Mass Index (BMI) was calculated; waist circumference (WC) and body composition (Fat, FFM, TBW, ECW, ICW, BCM) by Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), epiaortic and hepatic ultrasounds was assessed. Results: BMI, DBP, glycaemia, insulinemia, triglycerides, cholesterol, LDL, HDL, HOMA-IR and Tg/HDL was no statistical differences between males and females at the baseline and after ten years. BMI in males was 32,55+/-6,20 and in female was 30,77+/- 6,04; Fat Mass (FM) was 28,16+/-13,06 and 30,32+/-12,99 respectively; Free Fat Mass (FFM) was 68,57+/-11,19 and 49,19+/- 8,36 respectively ; Total body water (TBW) was 50,20 +/-8,17 and 36,05+/- 8 respectively; Body cell Mass (BCM) was 40,76+/-5,38 and 30,16+/-8,19 respectively. 54 % of the subjects are still obese 26% overweight 20% normal weight at follow-up. 72% of patients were affected by liver steatosis (80% of obese, 83% overweight and 30% normal weight). FM (p=0,019), FFM (p=0,04), TBW (p=0,03), was significant difference between in subjects affected by steatosis and not. A significant increment in males for SBP (p=0,001) and uric acid levels (UAL) (p=0,007), was observed. There was a significant correlation between WC and cIMT (P=0,003; R=0,441) which shows that cIMT is growing proportionally. There was a correlation between WC and UAL (p