Nutr Res Pract.  2010 Aug;4(4):311-316.

Birth weight was negatively correlated with plasma ghrelin, insulin resistance, and coenzyme Q10 levels in overweight children

• Park E

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between birth weight and appetite related hormones, insulin resistance, and antioxidant status in overweight children aged 9-10 years. Thirty-four healthy overweight children (18 boys, 16 girls) were evaluated with respect to anthropometric measurement, lipid profiles, leptin, ghrelin, glucose, insulin, C-peptide, lipid soluble vitamins, and antioxidant enzyme activities. I found that birth weight was negatively correlated with insulin resistance parameters, ghrelin, and coenzyme Q10 levels. There was a significant positive correlation between present BMI and leptin level, while a negative correlation was noted between the BMI and alpha-tocopherol and lycopene levels. When total subjects were classified into three groups by tertiles of birth weight, the lowest tertile of birth weight (LTB) group showed higher levels of fasting glucose, HOMA-IR, and ghrelin level than the highest tertile of birth weight (HTB) groups. On the other hand, HTB group showed an increased oxidative stress (decreased coenzyme Q10 level and catalase activity) compared to the LTB group. In conclusion, plasma ghrelin level might play an important role in accelerated growth in overweight children with LTB. Increased insulin resistance is present in overweight children with LTB, while decreased coenzyme Q10 and catalase activity in overweight children with HTB. These results suggest that birth weight might be an important factor for determination of treatment for obesity related complications in childhood obesity.

Keyword

Birth weight; overweight children; ghrelin; insulin resistance; coenzyme Q10

MeSH Terms

Aged
alpha-Tocopherol
Appetite
Birth Weight
C-Peptide
Carotenoids
Catalase
Child
Fasting
Ghrelin
Glucose
Hand
Humans
Insulin
Insulin Resistance
Leptin
Obesity
Overweight
Oxidative Stress
Parturition
Plasma
Salicylates
Ubiquinone
Vitamins
C-Peptide
Carotenoids
Catalase
Ghrelin
Glucose
Insulin
Leptin
Salicylates
Ubiquinone
Vitamins
alpha-Tocopherol

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Comparison of plasma ghrelin concentrations according to the tertiles of birth weight in overweight subjects. Values are mean ± SD. LTB: Lowest tertile of birth weight, MTB: Mid tertile of birth weight, HTB: Highest tertile of birth weight. Means with common superscripts indicate that the difference between means is no significant (P < 0.05).

• 

  Fig. 2 Comparison of plasma coenzyme Q10 concentrations according to the tertiles of birth weight in overweight subjects. LTB: Lowest tertile of birth weight, MTB: Mid tertile of birth weight, HTB: Highest tertile of birth weight. Values are mean ± SD. Means with common superscripts indicate that the difference between means is no significant (P < 0.05).

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