CHILDHOOD OBESITY AND METABOLIC SYNDROME: AN INTERDISCIPLINARY PEDIATRIC ENDOCRINOLOGY STUDY

Abstract

Increased metabolic syndrome (MetS) in pediatrics has been caused by obesity in children, which currently poses a significant global social health hazard.  It is an interdisciplinary research work that intends to explore the correlation between development of Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) and childhood obesity in terms of the influence of genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors.  It was done in 500 children between the age of 6 to 16 with a body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, blood pressure, fasting glucose, lipid profile and insulin resistance.  We conclude that an increase in BMI has been highly correlated with the early onset of MetS as determined by high percentage of waist to hip and non-characteristic lipid profile and the indicators of insulin resistance among the children.  We have also found out that poor eating habits, lack of physical exercises and the family history of obesity were all important risk factors of MetS among the obese children.  The results indicate that an early intervention based on dietary changes and physical exercise is important in enhancing the health related problems in the long-term.  The conclusions of these results are that paediatric endocrinologists, nutritionists, and physical therapists should collaborate to counter childhood obesity and its metabolic effects.