(Press-News.org) Metabolic risk factors cluster similarly in children and adults, according to a study carried
out at the University of Eastern Finland. Furthermore, in adults, the clustering of these risk
factors increases the risk of premature death caused by type 2 diabetes, myocardial infarction
and cardiovascular diseases. The results indicate that lifestyle interventions aiming at the
prevention of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases should be invested in already in
childhood. The results of the study were recently published in Diabetologia.
Metabolic
syndrome refers to a condition in which a person carries several risk factors associated with
type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Traditionally, these risk factors have included
overweight and abdominal obesity, reduced muscle, adipose tissue and liver insulin sensitivity
and related glucose metabolism disorders, increased levels of plasma triglyceride, decreased
levels of plasma HDL cholesterol, and increased blood pressure. As overweight has become
increasingly widespread, the clustering of metabolic risk factors has become increasingly common
also in children. If no improvement in exercise and nutrition habits takes place in childhood,
metabolic syndrome is likely to persist into adulthood, increasing the risk of type 2 diabetes,
cardiovascular diseases and premature death. Up until recently, the definition of metabolic
syndrome has been a controversial topic especially in children, although the components of
metabolic syndrome have been known for a long time. It has also been unclear whether the
components of metabolic syndrome are the same in children and adults.
The study showed
that the components of metabolic syndrome cluster similarly in children and adults of different
ages irrespective of sex. However, abdominal obesity was relatively less emphasised in children
than in adults, and increased blood pressure was relatively more emphasised in middle-aged men
than in children and older men and women. As expected, the risk factor score was higher in
adults than in children. The observed cumulation of metabolic risk factors in all age groups
increased the risk of premature death due to type 2 diabetes, myocardial infarction and
cardiovascular diseases in adults.
The results indicate that also metabolic risk factor
scores lower than those generally accepted in the field of medicine are detrimental especially
in cases where several risk factors are present. The results suggest that risk assessment of
type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases should increasingly pay attention to the scores of
several risk factors. Furthermore, lifestyle interventions begun in childhood and continuing
into adulthood, combined with drug treatment when necessary, should constitute the primary
method of reducing the overall risk.
The data comprised three population samples from the
Kuopio region in eastern Finland: 491 healthy 6-8 year old girls and boys participating in the
Physical Activity and Nutrition in Children (PANIC) Study, 1,900 middle-aged men participating
in the Kuopio Ischaemic Heart Disease Risk Factor Study (KIHD), and 1,170 older women and men
participating in DR's EXTRA Study. The PANIC Study is an on-going lifestyle intervention study,
which produces valuable information on children's lifestyle factors, health and well-being all
the way into adulthood. Collaboration between the three different studies involving people of
different ages made it possible to study the development of metabolic syndrome and its risk
factors extensively.
INFORMATION:
For further information, please contact: Anna Viitasalo, Lic. Med.,
Institute of Biomedicine, tel. +358 40 419 4017 Timo A. Lakka, Professor of Medical Physiology,
Specialist in Internal Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine, tel. +358 40 770 7329 The Physical
Activity and Nutrition in Children (PANIC)
Study
http://www.uef.fi/en/
biolaaketiede/lasten-liikunta-ja-ravitsemus and http://www.lastenliikuntajaravitsemus.fi
In English
Research article: Viitasalo A, Lakka TA, Laaksonen DE, Savonen K, Lakka HM,
Hassinen M, Komulainen P, Tompuri T, Kurl S, Laukkanen JA, Rauramaa R. Validation of metabolic
syndrome score by confirmatory factor analysis in children and adults and prediction of
cardiometabolic outcomes in adults. Diabetologia. 2014 Jan 24.
UEF study: Metabolic syndrome is similar in different age groups
2014-02-13
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