Introduction: Obesity is associated with increased occurrence of numerous diseases, including hypertension, dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, diabetes, and atherosclerosis. Blood pressure (BP), dyslipidemia, and inflammation markers and their relationships with body mass index (BMI) were determined in scholar adolescents.
Material and methods: Adolescents (n = 210) (sex ratio G/B = 106/104; 11 to 16 years) were recruited in three colleges of Oran city. Anthropometric parameters were measured to classify adolescents as thin (T), normal weight (NW), overweight (OW), or obese (O). Waist circumference (WC) and BP were measured, and serum glucose, uric acid, urea, lipid parameters, tumor necrosis factor- (TNF-), interleukin-1 (IL-1), interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-reactive protein (CRP), insulin, leptin, and adiponectin were analyzed.
Results: Adolescents were classified according to their BMI as T (15%), NW (63%), OW (13%), and O (9%). Compared to NW, increased values of WC, BP (p < 0.001), and glucose (p < 0.01) were noted in OW and O groups. Total cholesterol (TC) level was elevated in O adolescents (p < 0.01). Increased low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in OW (p < 0.05) and O (p < 0.01), and reduced high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) concentrations were noted in both OW and O groups (p < 0.05), compared to NW. Elevated triglyceride (TG) values and TG : HDL-C ratio were observed in OW (p < 0.05) and O (p < 0.01). High values of uric acid were noted in OW and O adolescents (p < 0.01). Compared to NW, there was no significant difference in IL-1 whereas IL-6 was elevated in T (p < 0.05), OW (p < 0.01) and O (p < 0.001). Leptin, TNF-, and CRP concentrations were significantly increased (p < 0.001), whereas adiponectin values were decreased in both OW and O groups (p < 0.01), compared to NW.
Conclusions: Significant associations were noted between WC, BP, dyslipidemia, inflammation markers, and BMI, indicating that both OW and O adolescents have a tendency to present metabolic syndrome risk factors.