scholarly journals Circulating miRNAs as Biomarkers of Obesity and Obesity-Associated Comorbidities in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review

Nutrients ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 2890 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maddi Oses ◽  
Javier Margareto Sanchez ◽  
Maria P. Portillo ◽  
Concepción María Aguilera ◽  
Idoia Labayen

Early detection of obesity and its associated comorbidities in children needs priority for the development of effective therapeutic intervention. Circulating miRNAs (microRNAs) have been proposed as biomarkers for obesity and its comorbidities; therefore, we conducted a systematic review to summarize results of studies that have quantified the profile of miRNAs in children and adolescents with obesity and/or associated disorders. Nine studies aiming to examine differences in miRNA expression levels between children with normal weight and obesity or between obese children with or without cardiometabolic diseases were included in this review. We identified four miRNAs overexpressed in obesity (miR-222, miR-142–3, miR-140-5p, and miR-143) and two miRNAs (miR-122 and miR-34a) overexpressed in children with obesity and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and/or insulin resistance. In conclusion, circulating miRNAs are promising diagnostic biomarkers of obesity-associated diseases such as NAFLD and type 2 diabetes already in childhood. However, more studies in children, using massive search technology and with larger sample sizes, are required to draw any firm conclusions.

Author(s):  
Demetria Pizano ◽  
Rebecca Hedrick ◽  
Steven Clevenger ◽  
Samantha Cohen ◽  
Waguih William IsHak

Objective: This systematic review aims to examine the spectrum of research studies including cross-cultural and international studies that have focused on weight and health-related quality of life in children and adolescents. Methods: Following the PRISMA guidelines, studies published in the past 25 years from 1995 until 2020 that pertain to weight and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in children and adolescents were identified through the use of Pubmed, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, and PsycInfo databases. Two authors independently conducted a focused analysis and reached a final consensus on which studies to include using specific selection criteria followed by a quality check of the studies, resulting in the final selection of 25 studies. Results: The selected studies particularized the level of impaired quality of life among normal-weight, overweight and obese children and adolescents, and distinctly found that higher participant weight was correlated with a lower HRQoL score. Conclusion: Studies showed a significant negative correlation between weight and HRQoL. Multiple types of prevention and treatment programs are critically needed to provide resources to improve quality of life in overweight and obese children and adolescents.


2013 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 523-530 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fábio da Veiga Ued ◽  
Virgínia Resende S. Weffort

OBJECTIVE: To review the literature on the importance of antioxidant vitamins, analyzed in the context of dietary intake, its plasma levels, and its current use as a supplementation treatment in obese children and adolescents with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. DATA SOURCES: The articles were identified in Lilacs, Ibecs, SciELO, PubMed/Medline, and Scopus databases. To conduct the survey, the "fatty liver" descriptor was associated to the following words: "children", "antioxidants" and "vitamins". The search was limited to articles written in Portuguese, Spanish and English, with publication date until December, 2012. DATA SYNTHESIS: Six studies were selected. The survey revealed a low dietary intake and low antioxidant vitamins serum levels in this population. The changes in lifestyle, with adequate dietary intake of vitamins, and the increase in physical activity were associated with a significant improvement in liver histology and in laboratory tests. Vitamin supplementation also improved the disease progression markers, as the alanine aminotransferase serum levels and the histological characteristics of lobular inflammation and hepatocellular damage. However, these improvements were not statistically significant in all studies. CONCLUSIONS: There is insufficient evidence to recommend or to refute antioxidant supplementation in patients with simple steatosis or steatohepatitis. The changes in lifestyle seem to be, at the present time, the more advisable therapy.


2021 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebekka Mumm ◽  
Anna Reimann ◽  
Christiane Scheffler

Background Over the last 20 years, a decreasing trend in external skeletal robusticity and an increasing trend in overweight and obesity was observed worldwide in adults and children as modern lifestyles in nutritional and activity behavior have changed. However, body mass index (BMI) as a measure for overweight is not an ideal predictor of % body fat (%BF) either in children and adolescents or in adults. On the contrary, it disguises a phenomenon called “hidden obesity”. Objectives We aim to approximate %BF by combining skeletal robusticity and BMI and develop an estimation-based tool to identify normal weight obese children and adolescents. Sample and Methods We analyzed cross-sectional data on height, weight, elbow breadth, and skinfold thickness (triceps and subscapular) of German children aged 6 to 18 years (N=15,034). We used modified Hattori charts and multiple linear regression to develop a tool, the “%BF estimator”, to estimate %BF by using BMI and skeletal robusticity measured as Frame Index. Results Independent of sex and age an increase in BMI is associated with an increase in %BF, an increase in Frame Index is associated with a decrease in %BF. The developed tool “%BF estimator” allows the estimation of %BF per sex and age group after calculation of BMI and Frame Index. Conclusion The “%BF estimator” is an easily applicable tool for the estimation of %BF in respect of body composition for clinical practice, screening, and public health research. It is non-invasive and has high accuracy. Further, it allows the identification of normal weight obese children and adolescents.


Hypertension ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 76 (Suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nayara A Cruz ◽  
Lilian C Oliveira ◽  
Fernanda B Fernandes ◽  
Dulce E Casarini

Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) plays a dominant role in renal and cardiovascular diseases, obesity and diabetes. The somatic ACE (130-190 kDa) is composed of two homologous N- and C- domains. Two soluble N-domain isoforms have been described in human urine with 65 and 90KDa. Studies have supported that N-domain ACE with 90KDa is a biomarker for hypertension, pre-eclampsia and inflammation. We analyzed the expression of somatic and soluble N-domain ACE isoforms in urine of children and adolescents with different nutritional status and cardiovascular risk profile. The volunteers aged from 6 to 19 years were classified into four groups according to their BMI percentile; underweight (n=51), normal weight (n = 53), overweight (n=53) and obese (n=49). Waist-height-ratio (WHtR) was used to assess cardiovascular risk profile dividing the participants into normal risk (n=105) and high risk (n=101). The urines were concentrated 10-fold and dialyzed with Tris-HCl pH 8 and pure water. Then, we performed western blot analysis using 50μg of lyophilized urinary protein, using the ACE polyclonal antibody Y1. Protein detection was performed by chemiluminescent and analysis in Image Lab software utilizing total protein stain for normalization. ACE expression is augmented in obese children when compared with normal weight children ( 0.09 vs 0.53 arbitrary units, p=0,04 ). The higher cardiovascular risk group also presented increased expression of ACE ( 0.27 vs 0.09 arbitrary units, p=0.046 ). The 90KDa N-domain isoform is frequently found in the high cardiovascular risk children ( p= 0.02 ). According to Spearman correlation test, the expression of 90 kDa N-domain ACE correlates positively with waist circumference, WHtR, BMI percentile and Z-score of BMI. Increased ACE expression in obese children contributes to higher cardiovascular risk once this enzyme biosynthesizes Angiotensin II which promotes blood pressure increase, sympathetic nervous system activation and release of glucocorticoids from adrenal gland. ACE expression is also augmented in children with high cardiovascular risk. Presence of 90 KDa N-domain ACE in urine of children and adolescents is a biomarker of poor prognostic for cardiovascular disease in childhood obesity.


Author(s):  
Liliana Catan ◽  
Elena Amaricai ◽  
Roxana Ramona Onofrei ◽  
Calin Marius Popoiu ◽  
Emil Radu Iacob ◽  
...  

We aimed to synthesise the results of previous studies addressing the impact of overweight and obesity on plantar pressure in children and adolescents. An electronic search of scientific literature was conducted using PubMed, Cochrane and Scopus database, with keywords: “plantar pressure” AND “children” AND “obesity”; “plantar pressure” AND “adolescents” AND “obesity”, “plantar pressure” AND “children” AND “overweight”, “plantar pressure” AND “adolescents” AND “overweight”. Twenty-two articles were included in the review and the following data were recorded: authors, publication year, type of technology (systems, software) for the determination of plantar pressure, study characteristics. Most of the articles used dynamic plantar pressure determination with only four using static plantar pressure measurement. Using ultrasonography with static plantar pressure determination, the correlation between structural and functional changes in the feet of obese children. In overweight and obese children and adolescents, important findings were recorded: higher contact area, increased maximum force beneath the lateral and medial forefoot, increased pressure–time integral beneath the midfoot and 2nd–5th metatarsal regions. Significantly increased foot axis angle and significantly flatter feet were observed in obese subjects in comparison to their normal-weight counterparts. The obese children presented increased midfoot fat pad thickness, with decreased sensitivity of the whole foot and midfoot.


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