Is obesity associated with oxidative stress in children?

We evaluated the presence of oxidative stress in obese children without co-morbidities.The study population included 68 children (30 girls, 38 boys), between 6 and 14 years of age. The levels of markers of oxidative damage (malondialdehyde [MDA], and plasma carbonyl groups [CG]) and measures of antioxidant defense, such as the enzyme glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and low molecular scavengers (erythrocyte-reduced glutathione [GSH], alpha-tocopherol and beta-carotene) were determined. Children were categorized in groups by the standard deviation score of body mass index (SDS-BMI). Twenty children were non-obese (SDS-BMIor =1.33), and the 48 obese children (SDS-BMIor =2) were further divided in…