February 1, 1999 - Distribution of Body Fat is Indicator of Heart Disease Risk in Children
CINCINNATI -- How body fat is distributed in obese children is a more important indicator of heart disease risk than the number of pounds the children are overweight, according to a study by a cardiologist at Children's Hospital Medical Center of Cincinnati.
The researchers, led by Stephen Daniels, MD, PhD, studied two predominant body fat patterns in 127 normal children and adolescents over a range of weights. One pattern involves those with fat at or just above the waist, or apple shape.
The other involves those with fat on their hips and thighs, or pear shape. Those in the first group were more likely to have higher blood pressure, worse lipids and lipoproteins (fatty substances), and higher left ventricular mass (mass in the left pumping chamber of the heart), all of which are related to a higher future risk of cardiovascular disease.
"The distribution of fat appears to be related to metabolic alterations," says Dr. Daniels. "Pediatricians might want to be more aware of those children or adolescents developing this central obesity pattern.
They might be more inclined to look at their lipids and blood pressure. The primary focus for pediatricians should still be on being overweight and preventing obesity. As we learn more about the distribution of fat, what causes different distributions and how we might alter the distribution, we'll be in a better position to use the results clinically."
The pattern of fat at the waist is more common in men than women, but it can also be found in boys and girls, according to Dr. Daniels.
The study, funded by the National Institutes of Health, is published in Circulation.
Contact Information
Jim Feuer,
jfeuer@chmcc.org
