ORIGINAL STUDY OBESITY AND CARDIOMETABOLIC RISKS IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS

Pediatric obesity is a worldwide public health problem. Obesity is still the core aspect of insulin resistance and seems to be the physiopathological link, common to metabolic syndrome (MS), cardiovascular disease and diabetes. The metabolic syndrome has been recently described in children. However, a standard criterion has not been established for its diagnosis. The selection of obese children and adolescents or those with cardiometabolic risk factors at an early stage of life entails a signification that can’t be neglected. Increased BMI, altered glucose homeostasis, and high blood pressure in childhood are associated with a high risk of developing obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and coronary artery disease in adulthood.