BMI and hyperinsulinemia in children

ObjectivesOverweight is associated with hyperinsulinemia in adults and children. The aim of our study was to test if body mass index (BMI) alone or in combination with waist circumference (WC) predicts hyperinsulinemia in individual children.MethodsIn 466 healthy German schoolchildren aged 7 to 12 years enrolled in the population based PEP Family Heart Study, anthropometric data, standard laboratory data and fasting serum insulin concentrations were assessed.ResultsAmong children with hyperinsulinemia (fasting serum insulin concentrations  > 85th age specific percentile), 56% were not overweight (BMI-for-age   < 85th percentile). Among overweight children, 54% were normoinsulinemic. Increased waist circumference (WC for age and gender  > 85th percentile) was not a better predictor of hyperinsulinemia, neither alone nor in combination with BMI.ConclusionOverweight and abdominal obesity are poor indicators of hyperinsulinemia in individual German school children aged 7 to 12 years. Insulin measurement seems to be necessary to reliably detect hyperinsulinemia.