Relation of Obesity to Atherosclerotic Risk Factors in School Children

Abstract

The relation of obesity to systolic blood pressure, HDL-cholesterol and ratio of low-and very-low-density lipoprotein cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (atherogenic index: AI) was investigated in 1, 216 subjects aged 9-10, and 12-13 years in Susono City, Shizuoka prefecture. In boys, the risk-factor variables showed strong correlation to trunk fat levels (subscapular skinfold). Among girls, fat levels in the both trunk and limb showed less correlation with the variables than among boys.
Furthermore, among obese (i.e., obesity index of over 20%) boys, trunk fat levels correlated even more strongly with the risk-factor variables. Since obesity correlates with risk-factor variables in children, prevention of obesity onset in early life may be important in reducing the risk of atherosclerotic disease in later life.