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Abstract
Introduction One in three obese adults is classified as metabolically healthy, but there is less evidence in obese children. We studied the overall clinical presentation of Finnish obese children and the prevalence of cardiometabolic risk factors with child-specific cut-offs.
Material and methods This is a cross-sectional register-based study of 2–18-year-old children (n = 900) evaluated for obesity in three hospitals in 2005–2012. Clinical and metabolic data were related to sex, age, puberty, and obesity grade and analyzed using chi-square and non-parametric tests.
Results In 80% of cases at least one cardiovascular risk factor was present. Only 3% of subjects for whom complete metabolic data were available (n = 360) had no metabolic disorder. Systolic blood pressure was hypertensive in 50.2% and diastolic in 14.5% of the children. The youngest children had highest body mass index SD score. Obesity was more severe in boys than girls (p < 0.001). Hypertensive systolic blood pressure values (p = 0.012), prediabetes (p < 0.001), fatty liver (p < 0.001), and dyslipidemia (p = 0.025) were more prevalent in 15–18-year-old boys than girls.
Conclusion Most obese children in specialist care have cardiovascular risk factors; this indicates that earlier intervention is needed.
Most obese children evaluated in specialist care have one or more cardiovascular risk factors, and very few have no metabolic disturbances.
In late adolescence these risk factors are more common in obese boys than girls.
Primary care personnel are less likely to intervene in cases of obesity in young children than in adolescents, leading to a delay in treatment.
Hypertensive blood pressure values require more attention in clinical work.