Exercise testing and adipokine levels for the evaluation of overweight and obesity in children.

BACKGROUND: Childhood obesity poses a global health threat. We investigated the association of the cardiopulmonary exercise testing indexes with adipokines levels and insulin resistance along with the beneficial effect of physical exercise on insulin resistance in children.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Thirty-two obese, 21 overweight, and 30 normal-weight children participated in the current study, with mean age 11.98 (±1.95), 10.91 (±1.72), and 11.35 (±2.21) years, respectively. All children were clinically healthy. The children and their parents provided data on physical activity, while spirometry and maximal cardiopulmonary exercise testing were performed for the functional evaluation of the respiratory status of the study population.

RESULTS: Leptin levels were significantly lower in normal-weight children compared to the obese ones (p <0.001). Maximum quantity of oxygen (VO2 max) differences were statistically significant between the three groups (p =0.025 for normal weight vs overweight, and p =0.001 for normal vs obese children). Leptin levels were inversely related to VO2 max in obese children (p =0.009, r =-0.491). Homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) was statistically significantly lower among children that were more physically active (p =0.042). Leptin was significantly related to body mass index among obese children (r =-0.582, p <0.001).

CONCLUSIONS: Leptin is significantly inversely related to VO2 max in obese children. This study, however, allows further assumptions for adipokines and childhood obesity, along with the possible role of leptin as an additional obesity index in relation with cardiopulmonary function. HIPPOKRATIA 2017, 21(3): 124-129.