Hyperinsulinism as a marker in obese children
R. Zannolli, A. Rebeggiani, F. Chiarelli and G. Morgese
Department of Pediatrics, University of Chieti, Italy.
OBJECTIVE--To determine the relationship between insulin and the metabolic
profile and eventual weight loss in obese children. DESIGN--We first
attempted to define the metabolic profile for 18 obese children; we then
studied weight loss in this group longitudinally. SETTING--Department of
Pediatrics in a university hospital. PARTICIPANTS--Eighteen randomly
selected, young, obese male subjects from 5 to 16 years of age.
INTERVENTIONS--(1) Metabolic screening at the outset, including insulinemia
and glycemia after the oral glucose tolerance test and plasma levels of
total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglycerides,
and (2) weight loss treatment. RESULTS--We divided the sample into
"normoinsulinemic" and "hyperinsulinemic" groups, similar for all the
variables tested except for weight loss and plasma triglyceride levels. A
direct relationship between weight loss results and duration of treatment
was found for the entire group. The "hyperinsulinemic" group had a lower
percentage reduction in excess weight, and the results in this group were
not dependent on the duration of treatment. CONCLUSIONS--The effort to keep
"normoinsulinemic" obese children in treatment may be useful; it is
advisable to study "hyperinsulinemic" children more in depth.
