Association between insulin resistance, cardiovascular risk factors and overweight in Japanese schoolchildren

SummaryObjectiveThe aim of this study was to examine the association between insulin resistance, cardiovascular risk factors and overweight in Japanese schoolchildren.MethodsA cross-sectional study was performed on 310 schoolchildren (155 boys and 155 girls) of the fifth grade and the eighth grade in a town in Nagano Prefecture, Japan. The survey was conducted on anthropometric, blood examinations, and by calculation of body mass index (BMI: body weight/body height2) and HOMA-IR (fasting insulin × fasting glucose/405).ResultsHemoglobin A1c and fasting glucose were not associated with BMI, whereas fasting insulin and HOMA-IR were significantly higher in overweight children in comparison with the lowest quartile BMI group. In the overweight, the mean and standard deviation of HOMA-IR were 2.51 ± 1.01, and the prevalence of HOMA-IR ≧ 2.5 was 46.8%. Schoolchildren with HOMA-IR ≧ 2.5 had more several cardiovascular risk factors.ConclusionsInsulin resistance was observed in overweight Japanese children, though their hemoglobin A1c and fasting glucose were within the normal range. In addition, with higher BMI, the number of cardiovascular risk factors was increased. Weight management should be started in childhood.