Parental determinants of metabolic syndrome among adolescent Asian Indians: A cross-sectional analysis of parent-offspring trios

Association of parental cardiovascular risk factors with offspring type 1 diabetes mellitus insulin sensitivity

AIM

This study aimed to determine whether the insulin resistance (IR) and lipid profiles in Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) offspring are associated with IR and other cardiovascular risk factors in their parents.

METHODS

This study included 99 T1D patients (19.6 ± 4.0 yrs.), 85 mothers and 60 fathers. Parents' IR was assessed by HOMA-IR, and the insulin sensitivity in T1D patients was assessed by the estimated Glucose Disposal Rate (eGDR).

RESULTS

The eGDR in the T1D offspring was negatively related to age (p = 0.023), weight (p = 0.004), LDL (p = 0.026), and microalbuminuria (p = 0.019). Maternal Type 2 Diabetes (p < 0.001) and HOMA-IR (p = 0.029) were negatively related to eGDR in their T1D offspring. The maternal HOMA-IR and the proband's eGDR were positively (p = 0.012) and negatively (p = 0.042) associated with the birth weight of the T1D offspring, respectively. We didn't find an association with the fathers' profiles.

CONCLUSIONS

In a cohort of offspring with T1D the insulin sensitivity was related to the IR, lipid profile, and the presence of T2D only in their mothers. Precocious screening and treatment of these risk factors beyond glycemic control will benefit T1D with this background.

Metabolic syndrome and male fertility disorders: Is there a causal link?

Infertility is a global health problem affecting 10-15% of couples in reproductive age. Recent studies have provided growing evidence supporting that lifestyle factors can affect male fertility through alterations in endocrine profiles, spermatogenesis and/or sperm function. One of these critical factors could be the change in the food intake behavior in modern societies that produces metabolic alterations. Regarding this, metabolic syndrome (MetS) prevalence has increased in epidemic in the last 40-50 years. Although MetS is associated with advanced age, changes in lifestyles have accelerated the appearance of symptoms in the reproductive age. We review herein the current understanding of the relationship between MetS and the male reproductive status. For this purpose, in this narrative review a comprehensive literature search was made in both animal models and men, allowing us to evaluate such relationship. This analysis showed a high variability in the reproductive phenotypes observed in patients and mice suffering MetS, including sperm parameters, fertility and offspring health. In view of this, we proposed that the reproductive effects, which are diverse and not robust, observed among MetS-affected males, might depend on additional factors not associated with the metabolic condition and contributed not only by the affected male but also by his partner. With this perspective, this review provides a more accurate insight of this syndrome critical for the identification of specific diagnostic indicators and treatment of MetS-induced fertility disorders.

Metabolic Syndrome in Offspring of Parents with Metabolic Syndrome: A Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

The metabolic syndrome (MetS) represents a clustering of risk factors for cardiovascular diseases that includes abdominal obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and insulin resistance.

OBJECTIVES

The objective of this study was to reassess the parent-offspring association of MetS since the available findings are still controversial.

METHODS

The Cochrane Library, PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases were searched to identify relevant articles. All studies comparing MetS status between the offspring of parents with MetS and offspring of parents without MetS were included in the analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 9 studies met the inclusion criteria and they were analyzed. Offspring of at least 1 parent with MetS had a higher risk of MetS (OR 3.88, 95% CI 2.58-5.83, p < 0.001). Sons and daughters of fathers with MetS both had a higher risk of MetS (OR 2.31, 95% CI 1.70-3.12, p < 0.001, and OR 1.73, 95% CI 1.37-2.18, p < 0.001, respectively). Sons and daughters of mothers with MetS both had a higher risk of MetS (OR 1.95, 95% CI 1.37-2.76, p = 0.0002, and OR 1.91, 95% CI 1.54-2.35, p < 0.001, respectively).

CONCLUSION

This meta-analysis showed that there is a higher risk of MetS in the offspring of parents with MetS. However, there was no differential association of MetS according to gender and/or age of the offspring.

Relationship between parental overweight and obesity and childhood metabolic syndrome in their offspring: result from a cross-sectional analysis of parent-offspring trios in China

OBJECTIVE

Metabolic syndrome (MS) and its components are observed to emerge in childhood and may continue into adulthood. The study aimed to investigate the association between parental overweight and risk of childhood MS and its components in their offspring.

METHODS

Data were obtained from a cross-sectional survey conducted in Chinese children and adolescents; a total of 11 784 children aged 7-18 years were included in this study; child outcomes were obtained from objective measurements and parental data were obtained from questionnaires; MS was defined according to the modified criteria of Adult Treatment Panel Ⅲ; correlation between parental overweight and offspring MS was assessed via multivariate logistic regression models adjusted for potential covariates.

RESULTS

3476 (29.5%) children were found to have overweight fathers, 1041 (8.8%) had overweight mothers and 852 (7.2%) had both overweight parents. The prevalence of MS was 7.1% in total, 8.2% in boys and 5.9% in girls; children with overweight parents had a higher prevalence of MS and its components (except for elevated glucose) compared with children with normal-weight parents. Children with overweight fathers, mothers and both parents had 2.17 times (95% CI: 1.65-2.85), 2.89 times (95% CI: 2.03-4.11) and 2.81 times (95% CI: 1.91-4.15) higher risk of MS, respectively. Children with overweight mothers were likely to have a higher risk of MS compared with children with overweight fathers. Parental overweight was positively correlated with higher risk of MS, abdominal obesity and low HDL-C both in boys and girls.

CONCLUSION

Parental overweight was strongly associated with increased risk of MS in their offspring, the risk was highest in children with both parents to be overweight. Maternal overweight seems to have a stronger correlation with offspring MS than paternal overweight. Parental overweight is one of the factors for identifying metabolic dysfunction risk in their offspring and other factors need to be considered as well.

The Prevalence and Predictors of Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Morbidly Obese Women - A Cross-sectional Study from Southern India

BACKGROUND

The prevalence of obesity is increasing rapidly in India and so are its associated comorbidities. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), the hepatic manifestation of metabolic syndrome, is commonly associated with obesity. However, limited data are available on its prevalence and clinical indicators among morbidly obese Indian women. The aim of our study was to find the prevalence of NAFLD in morbidly obese Indian women and study the clinically measurable obesity indicators that would best predict NAFLD.

METHODS

This was a cross-sectional study, conducted in the Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Christian Medical College, Vellore. Women were enrolled who were diagnosed to have NAFLD on sonography. Anthropometric variables, such as body mass index, waist circumference, hip circumference, waist-hip ratio and waist-height ratio were measured and compared between the two groups. SPSS Statistics 21.0 software was used for analysing the data.

RESULTS

One hundred and six consecutive, morbidly obese women were recruited in this study. Nearly three-quarters (73.6%) of the 106 morbidly obese participants were found to have NAFLD. We found waist circumference, body mass index and waist-height ratio to be most useful in distinguishing between patients with and without NAFLD, and found waist-height ratio was the best screening tool for diagnosing NAFLD.

CONCLUSION

NAFLD is present in a large proportion of morbidly obese women. Waist-height ratio could be used a surrogate screening tool to detect NAFLD in resource-constrained settings.

Longitudinal association between body mass index and physical activity among adolescents with different parental risk: a parallel latent growth curve modeling approach

Background

Data available on the association between physical activity (PA) and body mass index (BMI) in different periods of life is controversial. Using a parallel latent growth curve modeling (LGCM) approach, the current study aimed to investigate the influence of daily PA on adolescents’ BMI over a 12 year follow-up, taking into account their parental risk.

Method

Participants comprised 1323 adolescents (53.5% girls), aged 12–18 years who had participated in the baseline phase of Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study (TLGS) (2001–2003), and were followed for an average period of 12 years. Physical activity, including leisure time and occupational activities, was assessed using the reliable and validated Iranian version of the Modifiable Activity Questionnaire (MAQ). Weight and height were objectively measured in order to calculateBMI.Atwo-step cluster analysis was conducted to classify parents into two high- and low-risk clusters. Parallel LGCM was fitted to estimate cross-sectional, prospective and parallel associations, which assessed the longitudinal association between simultaneous changes in PA and BMI during the study period. Analyses were stratified by gender and parental clusters.

Results

A rising trend of BMI per 3 years was observed in boys 1.39 kg.m²(95% CI; 1.32, 1.48) and girls 0.9 kg.m²(95% CI; 0.82, 0.98), as well as in the low risk 1.11 kg.m²(95% CI; 1.03, 1.18) and high-risk 1.12 kg.m²(95% CI; 1.03, 1.22) clusters. Moreover, a positive prospective association between PA at baseline and BMI change over the 12 year follow-up, was observed in adolescents in the low-risk parental cluster 0.27(95% CI; 0.14, 0.41) indicating that higher levels of PA at baseline may lead to greater BMI in adolescents over time. However, examining longitudinal parallel association between simultaneous changes of PA and BMI per 3 years revealed adverse associations for adolescents in the low-risk parental cluster − 0.07 (95% CI; − 0.13, − 0.01) and in boys − 0.06 (95% CI; − 0.11, − 0.01).

Conclusion

Despite a positive prospective association between BMI and PA at baseline, there was a weak inverse parallel association between these variables over time, particularly in boys and adolescents with low parental risk. These findings imply the potential role of other influential factors indetermining adolescents’ weight status which need to be considered in the future plannings.

Association Between Maternal Lifestyle and Risk of Metabolic Syndrome in Offspring-A Cross-Sectional Study From China

BACKGROUND

The prevalence of MS among children and adolescents continues to rise, which has become an escalating serious health issue worldwide. It had been reported that maternal current lifestyle had a strong independent correlation with offspring health. However, it is not clear whether comprehensive lifestyle of mother has an impact on the MS risk in offspring and the role of offspring's lifestyle in it.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We included 4,837 mother-child pairs from a multi-centered cross-sectional study conducted in China. The information of maternal lifestyle was obtained by self-reported questionnaire, and metabolic syndrome (MS) in offspring was determined by anthropometric measurements and blood tests. Logistic regression models were employed to evaluate the association between maternal lifestyle and risk of MS in offspring. We found maternal healthy lifestyle was independently associated with lower risk of offspring MS, and the risk of MS in offspring decreased with the increased number of maternal ideal lifestyle factors. Although adolescents' lifestyle did not fully explain the relationship between maternal lifestyle and risk of offspring MS, compared with those had less ideal lifestyle factors in both mothers and offspring, the risk of offspring MS was lower in those had more ideal lifestyle factors in both mothers and adolescents.

CONCLUSIONS

Healthy lifestyle in mothers was associated with a lower risk of MS in offspring, which was independent of offspring's lifestyle. These findings support mother-based lifestyle intervention could be an effective strategy to reduce the MS risk in adolescents.

Association between Parent's Metabolic Syndrome and 12- to18-Year-Old Offspring's Overweight: Results from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (K-NHANES) 2009-2016

BACKGROUND

Little information is available on the association between parents' metabolic syndrome (MetS) and adolescent offspring's obesity in Korea. The aim of our study is to determine the association between parent's metabolic syndrome and offspring's obesity.

METHODS

The study data were obtained from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted during 2009-2016. In the present study, 3140 adolescents aged 12 to 18 years, their paternal pairs (PP, fathers = 2244), and maternal pairs (MP, mothers = 3022) were analyzed. Of these 3140 adolescents, 2637 had normal weight {age- and sex-specific body mass index (BMI) under the 85^th percentile}, whereas 467 were overweight (age- and sex-specific BMI over the 85^th percentile).

RESULTS

Offspring's overweight and central obesity were associated with all components of the PP's metabolic risk factors, including central obesity (p < 0.001), systolic (p < 0.001) and diastolic blood pressure (p < 0.001), glucose intolerance (p < 0.001), and triglyceride (p < 0.002) and high-density lipoprotein levels (p=0.049). In addition, offspring's overweight and central obesity were also associated with the metabolic risk factors of MP, including central obesity (p < 0.001), systolic (p < 0.001) and diastolic blood pressure (p < 0.001), glucose intolerance (p < 0.001), and triglyceride levels (p < 0.001). In multivariate logistic regression analysis, offspring's overweight was significantly and positively associated with parental central obesity (PP, adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 1.593; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.192-2.128; MP, adjusted OR = 2.221, 95% CI: 1.755-2.812) and parental metabolic syndrome (PP, adjusted OR = 2.032; 95% CI: 1.451-2.846; MP, adjusted OR = 2.972, 95% CI: 2.239-3.964). As the number of parental metabolic risk factors increased, offspring's risk for overweight and central obesity increased (p for trends < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Parental metabolic syndrome was associated with obesity in 12- to 18-year-old offspring in Korea.

Metabolic Syndrome and Related Factors in Chinese Children and Adolescents: Analysis from a Chinese National Study

Aims: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) has become a worldwide epidemic; however, few studies have described its status in Chinese children. This study aimed to estimate MetS status and its associations with geography, economic development, birth weight, and parental education of Chinese children and adolescents.

Methods: Data were derived from 15,045 participants aged 7–18 years across seven Chinese provinces. Physical measurement and blood tests were conducted to assess the five classical MetS components described by the International Diabetes Federation, including abdominal obesity (the essential component), high blood pressure, low high-density cholesterol (HDL-C), high triglyceride, and elevated fasting glucose (FG). Logistic regression was adopted to explore possible associations between MetS and other factors.

Results: Overall, MetS prevalence was 2.3%, higher in males (2.8% vs. 1.7% in females), northern regions (3.1%), more developed regions (2.9%), and older participants (aged 16–18 years) (P < 0.05 for all). Among the five MetS components, abdominal obesity and low HDL-C level were most prevalent (21.8% and 14.4%), and 35.9% of the participants had at least one component. In logistic regression, MetS itself did not correlate with birth weight or parental education. High birth weight was positively correlated with abdominal obesity (odds ratio, 1.48) butnegatively associated with elevated FG (odds ratio, 0.49).

Concusions: MetS itself was not common in Chinese children and adolescents, whereas its certain components were far more prevalent. Children from North China, more-developed areas, and at an older age were more likely to develop MetS. Strategies designed to prevent pediatric MetS in China should focus on prevalent components as well as its geographic and economic development predilections.

[Own and Parental Predictors of Hypertriglyceridemia in Children of Persons with Early Ischemic Heart Disease]

AIM

to elucidate predictors of high level of basal triglycerides (TG) in blood of children of persons with early (onset: men ≤55, women ≤60 years) ischemic heart disease (EIHD).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We examined 316 families: patients (probands) (n=295; 77.9 % after MI) with EIHD, their spouses (n=219; 83.1 % women) and native children of probands (n=413; 55.7 % men) aged 5-38 years. In children aged 5-17 and 18-38 years proband's spouse was mother in 88 and 77 % of cases, respectively. Hypertriglyceridemia in children (HTG) was defined in persons aged 5-17 years as ≥90 percentile (Lipid Research Clinics), ≥18 years - ≥1.7 mmol / l or HTG drug treatment. Predictors of HTG were selected by binary logistical regression with adjustment for age, sex and drugs.

RESULTS

HTG was found in 31 / 158 children aged 5-17 years. Its independent predictors were systolic arterial pressure (odds ratio [OR] of top [&gt;108] vs. two bottom [≤108 mm Hg] tertiles 3.85, 95 % confidence interval [CI] 1.38-10.7, р=0.010), heart rate (HR, OR of top [&gt;78] vs. two bottom [≤78 bpm] tertiles 2.94, 95 % CI 1.20-7.23, р=0.019), and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C, OR 0.35, 95 % CI 0.13-0.94; р=0.038) of their children; HR (OR of top [&gt;72] vs. two bottom [≤72 bpm] tertiles 3.56, 95 % CI 1.38-9.11, р=0.008), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (OR 2.49, 95 % CI 1.12-5.52, p=0.025]), and type 2 diabetes (OR 25.9, 95 % CI 1.01-665.3; p=0.049) of the parent - proband's consort. HTG was found in 35 / 255 children aged 18-38 years and was associated with own age (OR 1.10, 95 % CI 1.02-1.19, р=0.012) and male sex (OR 6.21, 95 % CI 2.45-15.8; р=0.000). HTG was independently associated with body mass index (OR top [&gt;25.4] vs. two bottom [≤25.4 kg / m2] tertiles 4.94, 95 % CI 2.13-11.4, р=0.000); basal glycemia (OR top [5.1] vs. two bottom [≤5.1 mmol / l] tertiles 2.52, 95 % CI 1.17-5.43, р=0.019); HDL-C (OR 0.17, CI 0.04-0.81, 0.027); alcohol consumption (OR consuming more than once vs. once a week and less 2.27, 95 % CI 1.02-5.02, p=0.044) of these children; HDL-C (OR 0.19, 95 CI 0.04-0.94; p=0.041) of the proband-parent.

CONCLUSIONS

HTG in children aged 5-38 years with parental early IHD was independently associated mainly with own characteristics, forming components of metabolic syndrome. Attention should be paid to the dominance of maternal transmission in children and adolescents (age group 5-17 years).

Parent's Cardiorespiratory Fitness, Body Mass, and Chronic Disease Status Is Associated with Metabolic Syndrome in Young Adults: A Preliminary Study

We sought to determine if there was an intergenerational association between parental weight, cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), and disease status, with the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetSyn) in their young adult offspring. Young adults (n = 270, 21 ± 1 years, 53.3% female) were assessed for MetSyn and self-reported parent’s CRF, body mass status, and disease status. MetSyn was present in 11.9% of participants, 27.4% had one or two components, and 58.5% had no components. A significantly higher percentage (93.9%) of young adults with MetSyn identified at least one parent as being overweight or obese, 84.8% reported low parental CRF and 87.9% reported a parent with disease (all p < 0.017). MetSyn in offspring is more likely when parents are perceived to have low CRF, increased body mass, and a diagnosis of disease. Evaluating the offspring of people with low CRF, elevated body mass, or who have a history of cardiovascular disease (CVD) or diabetes should be considered to promote early identification and treatment of young adults to reduce future premature CVD in these at-risk individuals.

Ethnicity-specific cut-offs that predict co-morbidities: the way forward for optimal utility of obesity indicators

Obesity indicators are useful clinical tools in the measurement of obesity, but it is important for clinicians to appropriately interpret their values in individuals with different ethnicities. Future research is needed to identify optimal cut-offs that can predict the occurrence of cardio-metabolic comorbidities in individuals of different ethnic descent. Assessment of more recently developed indicators like the Edmonton Obesity Staging System and visceral adipose tissue are able to appropriately identify metabolically at-risk individuals.

Effects of a Healthy Lifestyle Education on the Incidence of Metabolic Syndrome in Children during a 13-Year Follow-up

PURPOSE

This study aimed to determine effects of community-based healthy lifestyle education on the incidence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in Tehranian children considering parental factors during a 13-year follow-up.

METHODS

This study was conducted within the framework of the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study (TLGS) on 1603 healthy children, aged 8-18 years, who had complete parental data. Parental factors including MetS, education, age, occupation, and smoking were considered to distinguish parental clusters which could potentially predispose children to MetS. Lifestyle interventions were aimed at achieving healthy dietary patterns and increasing physical activity. Cluster analysis and survival Cox model were used to determine potential low and high risk parental clusters and the effect of intervention on the hazard of MetS in children respectively.

RESULTS

In a model adjusted for children's age and sex, the hazard of the MetS incidence was 36% higher in children from high-risk parental cluster than those from low-risk parental cluster (HR = 1.36, 95% CI = 1.07-1.73). Moreover, the intervention group showed a 39% lower risk for MetS incidence (HR = 0.61, 95% CI = 0.44-0.85) compared to controls, during the first 6 years after baseline assessment (short term), although the risk lowering effect of the intervention was not maintained long term.

CONCLUSION

A healthy lifestyle education was successful in reducing the short-term risk of MetS in children. To identify ways of maintaining long-term results, further research is definitely warranted.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

This study was funded by National Research Council and Planning and Management Organization and has been reviewed and approved by the Iranian registry of clinical trials (ISRCTN52588395).

Association of parental obesity with cardiometabolic risk factors in their children: The CASPIAN-V study

BACKGROUND

The family environment has a crucial role in the development of childhood obesity and related cardiometabolic disorders. This study aims to investigate the association of parental obesity and cardiometabolic risk factors in their children.

METHODS

This multicentric cross-sectional study was performed on 14400 students (aged 7-18 years) and one of their parents. Students were recruited by multistage, stratified cluster sampling from urban and rural areas of 30 provinces of Iran. Fasting venous blood was obtained from a random sample of 4200 students. Demographic, anthropometric and clinical variables were collected.

RESULTS

Data of 14002 students and results of blood samples of 3483 of them were complete and included in the current study. The prevalence of obesity in children, fathers, and mothers was 11.4%, 10.6%, and 24.2%, respectively. In students, the most commonly observed metabolic abnormality was low HDL-C (29.5%); the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and dyslipidemia was 5% and 55.7%, respectively. Significant correlations were observed between the body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference of parents and weight, height, BMI, and waist circumference, as well as systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP) of their children (P< 0.05). In the multivariate model, the risk of excess weight (OR: 1.30, 95%CI: 1.17-1.44), obesity (OR: 1.36, 95%CI: 1.18-1.59), abdominal obesity (OR: 1.16, 95%CI: 1.05-1.29) and elevated BP (OR: 1.17, 95%CI: 1.04-1.31) were higher in those students whose parents had excess weight compared with other students. Parental obesity did not have significant association with metabolic syndrome and dyslipidemia in their children.

CONCLUSIONS

Parental history of obesity could be used as a practical approach for the early preventive measures and identification of children at risk of cardiometabolic complications.

Anthropometric and cardiometabolic risk factors in parents and child obesity in Segamat, Malaysia

Background

There is little evidence regarding risk factors for child obesity in Asian populations, including the role of parental anthropometric and cardiometabolic risk factors. We examined the relation between parental risk factors and child obesity in a Malaysian population.

Methods

We used data from health and demographic surveillance conducted by the South East Asia Community Observatory in Segamat, Malaysia. Analyses included 9207 individuals (4806 children, 2570 mothers and 1831 fathers). Child obesity was defined based on the World Health Organization 2007 reference. We assessed the relation between parental anthropometric (overweight, obesity and central obesity) and cardiometabolic (systolic hypertension, diastolic hypertension and hyperglycaemia) risk factors and child obesity, using mixed effects Poisson regression models with robust standard errors.

Results

We found a high burden of overweight and obesity among children in this population (30% overweight or obese). Children of one or more obese parents had a 2-fold greater risk of being obese compared with children of non-obese parents. Sequential adjustment for parental and child characteristics did not materially affect estimates (fully adjusted relative risk for obesity in both parents: 2.39, 95% confidence interval: 1.82, 3.10, P < 0.001; P for trend < 0.001). These associations were not modified by parental or child sex. We found no consistent evidence for associations between parental cardiometabolic risk factors and child obesity.

Conclusions

Parental obesity was strongly associated with child obesity in this population. Further exploration of the behavioural and environmental drivers of these associations may help inform strategies addressing child obesity in Asia.