Waist-to-height ratio and metabolic profile in children and adolescents of the city of SALTA

Abstract

The waist to height ratio (WHtR) is a simple anthropometric measurement, easy to measure, stable during growth, related to cardiometabolic markers in childhood and adolescence. Values higher than 0.50 correlate with the increase in cardiovascular risk. Objective: to evaluate the association between the waist-to-height ratio and metabolic profile in children and adolescents of the city of Salta (2014). Methods: cross-sectional study, secondary database (Nutritional Survey of Salta, 2014). Two-stage stratified sample. Variables: sex, age, waist-to-height ratio: cut-off point 0.50. Cut-off values of the Consensus of dyslipidemias in Pediatrics (PAS 2015): CHOL ≥200 mg/dl; LDL-C ≥130 mg/dl; HDL-C <35 mg/dL TG ≥100 mg/dl in children up to 9 years, ≥130 mg/dl from 10 to 19 years.
Glycemia ≥100 mg/dl. Analysis: frequency distribution (Chi2, Fisher), Kolgomorov (normality). Comparison of mean values U Mann-Whitney, p <0.05. SPSS V18. Results: 189 children were evaluated (mean: 5.6 years) and 197 adolescents (mean: 14 years). Women represented 49.5%. Mean WHtR in children and adolescents were 0.49 and 0.46. The prevalence of WHtR ≥0.50 was 45% in children and 21.8% in adolescents. Children and adolescents with WHtR ≥0.50 had lower mean HDL values (43.47/42.12 mg/dl), and higher LDL (98.15/98.56 mg /dl) and TG values (110.4/133.49 mg/dl) (p<0.05). In children and adolescents with WHtR ≥0.50, the frequency of low HDL and elevated TG was significantly higher. Conclusions: WHtR should be included in the routine evaluation of children and adolescents. WHtR ≥0.50 should undergo an additional cardiometabolic risk assessment, since the component of abdominal obesity plus HDL and altered TG are part of the Metabolic Syndrome.