Neck circumference: a useful screening tool of cardiovascular risk in children.

Early identification of cardiovascular risk factors consists an essential target for public health. The current study aims to examine the association between neck circumference and several cardiovascular risk factors and to compare it with well-established anthropometric indices. Demographic, anthropometric (body weight and height, waist, hip and neck circumference [WC, HC and NC, respectively]), biochemical (total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein [HDL] cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein [LDL] cholesterol, triglycerides [TG], fasting plasma glucose and serum insulin), clinical (pubertal stage, systolic and diastolic blood pressure [SBP and DBP, respectively]) and lifestyle (dietary intake, physical activity level) data were collected from 324 children (51.5% boys; 48.5% girls) aged 9-13 in Greece. Body mass index z-score (BMI z-score), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-IR), quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (QUICKI) and fasting glucose to insulin ratio (FGIR) were calculated. All indices (BMI z-score, NC, WC, HC, WHR and WHtR) were correlated with SBP, HDL and insulin-related indices (insulin, HOMA-IR, QUICKI and FGIR) and all indices except WHR with TG. LDL was correlated with BMI z-score, WC, WHR and WHtR, whereas DBP was correlated with BMI z-score, WC, HC and WHtR. In multivariate analysis, HDL, TG, SBP, insulin, HOMA-IR, QUICKI and FGIR were associated with all anthropometric indices; DBP with WC, HC, NC and WHtR; LDL with BMI z-score, WC, HC and WHtR. NC is associated with most cardiovascular disease risk factors. These associations are comparable with those observed for BMI z-score, WC, HC, WHR and WHtR. NC could be a simple, alternative screening tool of cardiovascular risk in children.

Androutsos O ，Grammatikaki E ，Moschonis G ，Roma-Giannikou E ，Chrousos GP ，Manios Y ，Kanaka-Gantenbein C ... -  《Pediatric Obesity》

Use of the waist-height ratio to predict metabolic syndrome in obese children and adolescents.

To demonstrate that the waist-height ratio (WHtR) is a simple and effective screening tool that could be used to identify obese children with the metabolic syndrome. Data from 109 obese boys and girls, aged 10.00-16.50 years, who were recruited as part of the Eat Smart study were analysed. Systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure, blood lipids (total cholesterol, triglycerides (TG), high- and low-density lipoproteins), insulin, glucose, height, weight and waist circumference (WC) were collected. These measurements were used to calculate WHtR, body mass index (BMI), Z-scores for BMI, WC, weight and homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). Correlations between anthropometric measures and blood pressure, lipids, insulin, glucose and HOMA-IR were assessed. Binary logistic regression was used to test which anthropometric measure was a significant predictor of the metabolic syndrome. Among boys, WHtR was negatively correlated with glucose (P < 0.05); WHtR and BMI Z-score were positively correlated with insulin, HOMA-IR and TG (P < 0.05) and WC Z-score was significantly correlated with age. Among girls, WHtR, BMI Z-score and WC Z-score were positively correlated with insulin and HOMA-IR and negatively correlated with high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (P < 0.05), whereas BMI Z-score was significantly correlated with SBP and DBP Z-scores. Twenty per cent of subjects were classified as having the metabolic syndrome, with WHtR, BMI Z-score and HOMA-IR being significant predictors. The WHtR is a significant predictor of the metabolic syndrome in obese youth. The WHtR is the simplest index to calculate and interpret, making it an ideal non-invasive screening tool to use in clinical practice.

Nambiar S ，Truby H ，Davies PS ，Baxter K ... -  《-》

Childhood obesity-related cardiovascular risk factors and carotid intima-media thickness.

Simşek E ，Balta H ，Balta Z ，Dallar Y ... -  《TURKISH JOURNAL OF PEDIATRICS》

Body adiposity index and other indexes of body composition in the SAPHIR study: association with cardiovascular risk factors.

The accuracy of anthropometric surrogate markers such as the body adiposity index (BAI) and other common indexes like the body mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) to predict metabolic sequelae is essential for its use in clinical practice. Thus, we evaluated the strength of BAI and other indexes to relate with anthropometric parameters, adipocytokines, blood lipids, parameters of glucose-homeostasis and blood pressure in 1,770 patients from the Salzburg Atherosclerosis Prevention Program in Subjects at High Individual Risk (SAPHIR) study in a crosssectional design. Measurements were BAI, BMI, WHR, WHtR, abdominal subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue (aSAT and VAT), total body adipose tissue mass, body weight, waist- and hip circumference (WC and HC), leptin, adiponectin, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), triglycerides (TG), fasting plasma glucose, fasting plasma insulin, the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMAIR), systolic and diastolic blood pressure. BAI was significantly associated with leptin and HC. We conclude that BAI was the best calculator for leptin. BAI was inferior to BMI to predict anthropometric parameters other than HC, adiponectin, blood lipids, parameters of glucose homeostasis, and blood pressure in this cross-sectional study.

Melmer A ，Lamina C ，Tschoner A ，Ress C ，Kaser S ，Laimer M ，Sandhofer A ，Paulweber B ，Ebenbichler CF ... -  《-》

Waist circumference and body mass index in Chinese children: cutoff values for predicting cardiovascular risk factors.

Sung RY ，Yu CC ，Choi KC ，McManus A ，Li AM ，Xu SL ，Chan D ，Lo AF ，Chan JC ，Fok TF ... -  《INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OBESITY》