Melatonin Levels in Children with Obesity Are Associated with Metabolic Risk and Inflammatory Parameters
Melatonin, the hormone of circadian rhythm regulation, is involved in the modulation of mitochondrial activity through its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Alteration of circadian rhythms such as sleep is related to obesity and metabolic pathogenesis in adulthood, but studies during childhood are scarce. The present study investigated the association of melatonin with metabolic and inflammatory markers in children with (n = 113) and without obesity (n = 117). Melatonin was measured in saliva four and two hours before bedtime, and after one hour of sleep. Cardiometabolic factors, high sensitivity C-reactive protein, immune markers (monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, plasminogen…
PS-078 Clinical Relevance Of Gamma-glutamyl Transpeptidase In Childhood Obesity
Background and aims Metabolic risk leads to severe comorbidities in obesity. We evaluate the relationship between the values of gamma-glutamyl trans peptidase (GGT), a marker of hepatic involvement, and cardio metabolic risk factors in obese children. Methods A prospective cross-sectional study of 147 children (aged 7 to 16 years) was carried out. Ninety-five children were obese with a body mass index standard deviation score (SDS-BMI) >2 and 52 children were normal weight. Patients with endocrine disease or syndromic obesity were excluded. We have analysed clinical parameters of adiposity (fat mass by bioelectrical impedance, waist and hip circumference), blood pressure, and classical bioc…
Short Sleep Duration Is Related to Emerging Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Obese Children
Objective: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the influence of sleep duration on cardiovascular risk factors in obese children. Methods: Cross-sectional analysis of 90 obese children ages 7 to 16 years. Anthropometric and clinical evaluation with specification of dietary and lifestyle habits was carried out during an office visit. Sleep duration was evaluated by the BEARS (B = bedtime issues, E = excessive daytime sleepiness, A = night awakening, R = regularity and duration of sleep, S = snoring) questionnaire on children's sleep characteristics. Sleep time adequacy by age was assessed according to the criteria of the National Sleep Foundation. Biochemical blood variables indicati…
Circadian Rhythm Variations and Nutrition in Children
AbstractCircadian rhythms are the changes in biological processes that occur on a daily basis. Among these processes are reactions involved in metabolic homeostasis. Circadian rhythms are structured by the central clock in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus via the control of melatonin expression. Circadian rhythms are also controlled by the peripheral clocks, which are intracellular mechanisms composed of the clock genes, whose expression follows a circadian pattern. Circadian rhythms are impacted by signals from the environment called zeitgebers, or time givers, which include light exposure, feeding schedule and composition, sleeping schedule and pattern, temperature, and phy…
The rs11187533 C&#x3e;T Variant of the <b><i>FFAR4</i></b> Gene Is Associated with Lower Levels of Fasting Glucose and Decreases in Markers of Liver Injury in Children with Obesity
<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> Genetic factors can modulate the development of associated comorbidities in obesity. It has been shown that loss-of-function variants of the <i>free fatty acid receptor 4 (FFAR4)</i> gene negatively affect obesity comorbidities such as insulin resistance and fatty liver disease. <b><i>Objective:</i></b> To test the relationships of metabolic factors in children with obesity with variants of the <i>FFAR4</i> gene. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> We performed an association study of 3 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of <i>FFAR4</i> (rs10882273 T&#x3e;C, rs1…
Association of RBP4 genetic variants with childhood obesity and cardiovascular risk factors
Background Recent data suggest that retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4) gene variants could be associated with a risk of obesity and its co-morbidities, such as metabolic syndrome, which increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease. Objectives The present study examined the potential association of RBP4 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with childhood obesity and its metabolic complications. Methods Four RBP4 SNPs, rs3758538 (3944A>C), rs3758539 (4406G>A), rs12265684 (12177G>C) and rs34571439 (14684T>G), were genotyped in a population of 180 Spanish Caucasian children (97 obese and 83 normal-weight children). Association of RBP4 SNPs with obesity, m…
Adolescent Feeding: Nutritional Risk Factors
AbstractThe aim of this review is to describe adolescent nutritional requirements from a scientific, nutritional, and psychosocial point of view, emphasizing the main risks of malnutrition at this age. Currently, too many teenagers are alone at home and prepare their own meals. The influence of friends replaces parental rules. The habits of adolescents are characterized by a tendency to skip meals, especially breakfast, and, less frequently, the midday meal; to purchase carry-out meals away from home; to consume snacks, especially sweets; to eat at fast food restaurants, almost always with high-calorie content; and to eat fried foods, soft drinks, and sweets. Toxic habits, such as smoking, …
Vitamin D receptor gene ApaI and FokI polymorphisms and its association with inflammation and oxidative stress in vitamin D sufficient Caucasian Spanish children
Background Vitamin D has gone from being just one vitamin to being an important prohormone with multiple effects on different tissue types. The mechanism of action of the active form or calcitriol is mediated by the intracellular vitamin D receptor (VDR). The interaction of the VDR with calcitriol modulates the expression of target genes involved in cell proliferation and cytokine production. Several studies have explored the effects of vitamin D deficiency in inflammatory disorders. Furthermore, some mutations in the VDR can affect its functionality. The focus of this study was to explore associations between VDR single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and markers of inflammation and oxidat…
The connection of circadian rhythm to inflammatory bowel disease
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) comprises a group of chronic, immune system-mediated inflammatory diseases that primarily affect the gastrointestinal tract. The pathogenesis of the intestinal lesions in IBD remains elusive, but the inflammation process could be the result of dysfunction of the innate and adaptive immune systems induced by genetic and environmental factors. In recent years, research has demonstrated a connection between environmental stressors that can influence day-night variations, also called circadian rhythms, and digestive health. In this review, we focus on alterations in the complex interactions between intestinal mucosa, microbial factors, and the immune response in…
Melatonin Content of Human Milk: The Effect of Mode of Delivery
Objective: Cesarean section rates are increasing in developed countries and could be performed as an emergency or elective procedure. Our research aim was to determine whether elective cesarean sec...
Left ventricular diastolic function and cardiometabolic factors in obese normotensive children
Abstract Background and aim Left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy and diastolic function have been found to be associated with obesity and hypertension in adults. However, there are scarce data about the association of obesity itself to cardiac alteration in children. The aim of this study was to detect early changes in LV structure and function in obese children and whether they are associated with the biomarkers of metabolic risk and endothelial activation. Methods and results A total of 130 children aged 7–16 years (88 obese and 42 normal-weight children) were studied. All children had normal resting blood pressure. Two-dimensional ultrasound with M-mode imaging was performed to assess the L…