Association of metabolic biomarkers of cardiovascular disease in overweight and obese children in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State, Nigeria

Abstract

Obesity is associated with significant metabolic changes and subclinical inflammation. We looked at the clustering of cardio-metabolic markers in overweight and obese school children in a semi-urban local government area in Nigeria. In this population-based cross-sectional study among 400 school children aged 15years, we measured adiponectin, leptin, inflammatory markers, apolipoprotein (apo)A1 and B, and lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2). Except for adiponectin, and apoA1 (10 th percentile) the 90 th percentile was used as cutoff point. Body weight was categorized in age-and sex-specific BMI percentiles and overweight and obesity according to international obesity task force definitions. In linear regression models, all cardio-metabolic markers were significantly associated with overweight. In logistic regression models, compared with the reference category (25 th -75 th percentile BMI), overweight was associated with increased concentrations of leptin (odds ratio (OR) 62.78; 95%CI 18.21- 201.15), C-reactive protein (8.15; 2.82-15.23), fibrinogen (3.02; 1.52-7.12), and low apoA1 (2.41; 1.46-4.99). Overweight was positively associated with interleukin-6, Lp-PLA2, and apo B concentrations and inversely with adiponectin concentrations. In obese children 40% showed one, 18% two, 13% three and 16% four or more abnormal cardio-metabolic biomarkers. The number of abnormal cardio-metabolic biomarkers increased in overweight (Ptrend <0,001) and obese (Ptrend < 0.001) children. Overweight and obesity in children are associated with a cluster of metabolic changes and smoldering inflammatory response which might not only accelerate cardiovascular disease later on in life but may also be associated with early atherosclerosis.