Abstract
BACKGROUND: The worldwide prevalence of childhood obesity has increased from 4.2% to 6.7% during the last two decades. Pediatric obesity is a major health problem, which is dramatically increasing in Greece. A variety of inflammatory variables have been also found to associate with cardiometabolic (CV) risk in obese children. The purpose of this study was to identify and examine the effects of possible CV risk factors in obese and non-obese children with and without family history (FH) of cardiovascular disease (CVD). METHODS: Sixty-eight (68) healthy children and adolescents aged 7 - 13 years participated in the study. Anthropometrical and biochemical indexes were obtained from all children as well as FH of CVD. RESULTS: Systolic blood pressure (SBP), total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), fasting plasma insulin (FPI) and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) levels were found statistically significantly higher in the obese group compared to the non-obese one. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels were observed to be statistically significantly lower in the obese children compared to their normal peers. CONCLUSIONS: Apolipoprotein A, hsCRP and FPI levels were significantly higher in the obese children with FH of CVD compared to the ones without FH of CVD. TC and SBP were found to be independently associated with obesity (odds ratio (OR): 1.965, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.935 - 2.97, P < 0.031 and OR: 1.045, 95% CI: 1.016 - 1.074, P < 0.002, respectively).