Obesity and metabolic syndrome in adolescent survivors of standard risk childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia in Saudi Arabia

Background This study estimated prevalence of unhealthy weight status and metabolic syndrome (MS) amongst Saudi survivors of standard risk ALL. Procedure We recruited 56 survivors, mean age 13.4 years (SD 4.1), a mean of 9.1 years (SD 4.1) post‐diagnosis. The BMI for age was used to define weight status relative to national (Saudi) and international (Cole et al., Cole‐IOTF, WHO, and CDC) reference data. We measured body composition by dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry (DXA), waist circumference, blood pressure, lipid profile (HDL‐C, Triglycerides), fasting glucose and insulin. Results According to international definitions based on BMI for age, around half of the sample had unhealthy weight status. All of the approaches based on BMI for age underestimated overfatness, present in 27/51 (53%) of the sample according to DXA. Prevalence of MS was 7.1% (3/42 of those over 9‐years old) and 5.4% (3/56) by applying the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) definition and National Cholesterol Education Program Third Adult Treatment panel Guidelines (NCEP III), respectively. However, MS by the NCEP III definition was present in 19% of the overweight and obese survivors and 7.1% of the sample had at least two of the components of MS. Conclusion Unhealthy body weight and overfatness may be common amongst adolescent Saudi survivors of standard risk ALL, though overweight and obesity may be no more common than in the general Saudi adolescent population. Defining weight status using BMI underestimates overfatness. Ideally, body composition and cardiometabolic risk factors should be monitored at late effects clinics. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2012; 59: 133–137. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.