Abstract
Background Skipping breakfast has been associated with a higher risk of obesity and cardiovascular (CV) risk factors. However, it is not known if skipping breakfast is also correlated with CV risk factors independently from obesity. The mechanisms explaining the role of skipping breakfast on promoting fat accumulation as well as CV risk are not known. Hormones, in particular, insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), may potentially play a role in the metabolic profile of breakfast skippers. Aim This cross-sectional study aims to test, in a sample of overweight/obese children, the hypotheses that skipping breakfast is associated with a worse metabolic profile and that IGF-1 levels are associated with this unfavorable metabolic profile. Methods and Results We enrolled 112 overweight/obese prepubertal children (3–12 years). Anthropometric characteristics (height SDS, weight SDS, and body mass index (BMI) z-score) were measured. Blood samples were collected to evaluate glucose and lipid metabolisms and hormone profile (growth hormone (GH), IGF-1, insulin, and cortisol). The triglycerides/high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol ratio was calculated as a predictor of cardiovascular risk. Children were divided into two groups according to breakfast habits: consumers (≥5 weekly; N = 76) and skippers (≤4 weekly; N = 36). Glycaemia, total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, triglycerides (p < 0.05), and triglycerides/HDL cholesterol ratio (p < 0.001) were higher, while HDL cholesterol was lower (p < 0.01) in skippers as compared to consumers. IGF-1 concentrations were inversely correlated with LDL cholesterol (r = −0.279, p=0.013) and directly correlated with HDL cholesterol (r = 0.226, p=0.047). IGF-1 correlated positively with HDL cholesterol (r = 0.266, p=0.045) in consumers and correlated negatively with LDL cholesterol (r = −0.442, p=0.024) in skippers. Breakfast consumption among prepubertal overweight/obese children showed a better lipid profile in comparison with those who skipped breakfast [OR: 0.165 (95% CI: 0.053–0.518), p=0.001]; these latter odds of the increased triglycerides/HDL cholesterol ratio was 6.1-fold higher. Conclusions Breakfast skippers show a worse lipid profile when compared to breakfast consumers. IGF-1 might play a role as an independent modulator of lipid metabolism.
Highlights
Obesity is the most common metabolic disorder worldwide [1] and is associated with cardiovascular risk factors such as hyperlipidemia, hyperglycemia, and hypertension even in children and adolescents [2]
Breakfast habits have been suggested to have direct effects on the development of obesity as well as on the metabolic profile and subsequent cardiometabolic risk [3]. erefore, it is reasonable to expect that food-intake dysregulation associated with a chronic breakfast skipping behavior may promote excessive body fat accumulation and metabolic derangement, whereas regular breakfast consumption has been associated with a healthier cardiovascular status due to a better lipid profile and lower adiposity [4, 5]
Physical and Biochemical Characteristics. e anthropometric and biochemical characteristics of the study population are summarized in Table 1. ere were no significant differences between the two groups for age, anthropometric characteristics, GH, insulinlike growth factor-1 (IGF-1), and cortisol
Summary
Obesity is the most common metabolic disorder worldwide [1] and is associated with cardiovascular risk factors such as hyperlipidemia, hyperglycemia, and hypertension even in children and adolescents [2]. E relation between breakfast consumption and metabolic and endocrine fasting profiles and the role of IGF-1 in this association were investigated in a population of overweight and obese prepubertal children.
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