This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit a related Letter to the Editor Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Copyright Permission Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Mohn, A. Articles by Chiarelli, F. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Mohn, A. Articles by Chiarelli, F. Related Collections Pediatric Endocrinology Cardiovascular Endocrinology Obesity

Increased Oxidative Stress in Prepubertal Severely Obese Children: Effect of a Dietary Restriction-Weight Loss Program

Department of Pediatrics, University of Chieti, I-66100 Chieti, Italy

Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: Angelika Mohn, Department of Pediatrics, University of Chieti, Ospedale Policlinico, Via dei Vestini 5, I-66100 Chieti, Italy. E-mail: amohn{at}unich.it.

Oxidant-antioxidant status was investigated in a group of severely obese prepubertal children in comparison with healthy subjects and in relation to a dietary restriction-weight loss program. All subjects underwent anthropometric measurements and determination of lipid profile, lag phase, malondialdehyde (MDA), and vitamin E. Compared with controls, obese children had a significantly higher body mass index (BMI) (28.97 ± 2.42 vs. 16.03 ± 1.88 kg/m²; P = 0.0002) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) (0.89 ± 0.03 vs. 0.80 ± 0.01; P = 0.0004); lag phase and vitamin E levels were significantly decreased [24.05 ± 16.21 vs. 43.16 ± 10 min (P = 0.004) and 21.12 ± 14.96 vs. 35.54 ± 13.62 µmol/liter (P = 0.02), respectively], whereas MDA was significantly increased (0.90 ± 0.31 vs. 0.45 ± 0.24 nmol/mg; P = 0.001). Both lag phase and MDA significantly correlated with BMI [respectively, r = –0.34 (P = 0.004) and r = 0.57 (P = 0.002)] and WHR [respectively, r = –0.63 (P = 0.0001) and r = 0.38 (P = 0.04)]. Oxidant status normalized after 6 months of dietary restriction [lag phase, 59.11 ± 14.74 min (P = 0.002); MDA, 0.47 ± 0.09 nmol/mg (P = 0.003)], which was associated with a reduction of BMI (27.34 ± 1.87 kg/m²; P = 0.003), WHR (0.87 ± 0.02; P = 0.001), and fat mass (34.49 ± 2.68%; P = 0.008), but returned to baseline levels together with fatness indexes after another 6 months of free diet. Altered oxidant-antioxidant status is already present in prepubertal severely obese children and is reversible with a dietary restriction-weight loss program, which should be highly encouraged and maintained over time in this age group.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				C Giannini, T de Giorgis, A Scarinci, I Cataldo, M L Marcovecchio, F Chiarelli, and A Mohn Increased carotid intima-media thickness in pre-pubertal children with constitutional leanness and severe obesity: the speculative role of insulin sensitivity, oxidant status, and chronic inflammation Eur. J. Endocrinol., July 1, 2009; 161(1): 73 - 80. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Y. Tozuka, E. Wada, and K. Wada Diet-induced obesity in female mice leads to peroxidized lipid accumulations and impairment of hippocampal neurogenesis during the early life of their offspring FASEB J, June 1, 2009; 23(6): 1920 - 1934. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. Sacheck Pediatric Obesity: An Inflammatory Condition? JPEN J Parenter Enteral Nutr, November 1, 2008; 32(6): 633 - 637. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. Alkazemi, G. Egeland, J. Vaya, S. Meltzer, and S. Kubow Oxysterol as a Marker of Atherogenic Dyslipidemia in Adolescence J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., November 1, 2008; 93(11): 4282 - 4289. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. Kelishadi, M. Hashemi, N. Mohammadifard, S. Asgary, and N. Khavarian Association of Changes in Oxidative and Proinflammatory States with Changes in Vascular Function after a Lifestyle Modification Trial Among Obese Children Clin. Chem., January 1, 2008; 54(1): 147 - 153. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. M. Huffman, M. S. Johnson, A. Watts, A. Elgavish, I. A. Eltoum, and T. R. Nagy Cancer Progression in the Transgenic Adenocarcinoma of Mouse Prostate Mouse Is Related to Energy Balance, Body Mass, and Body Composition, but not Food Intake Cancer Res., January 1, 2007; 67(1): 417 - 424. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				I. Aeberli, L. Molinari, G. Spinas, R. Lehmann, D. l'Allemand, and M. B Zimmermann Dietary intakes of fat and antioxidant vitamins are predictors of subclinical inflammation in overweight Swiss children. Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, October 1, 2006; 84(4): 748 - 755. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				V. Vachharajani and S. Vital Obesity and Sepsis J Intensive Care Med, September 1, 2006; 21(5): 287 - 295. [Abstract] [PDF]

				T. Okada, M. Miyashita, Y. Kuromori, F. Iwata, K. Harada, and H. Hattori Platelet-activating factor acetylhydrolase concentration in children with abdominal obesity. Arterioscler. Thromb. Vasc. Biol., May 1, 2006; 26(5): e40 - e41. [Full Text] [PDF]