All issues > Volume 49(5); 2006

Original Article

Korean J Pediatr. 2006;49(5):475-481. Published online May 15, 2006.

Homocysteine, insulin, vitamin B12 and folic acid levels in obese children

Jee Yoon JY Park¹, Young Mi YM Hong¹

¹Department of Pediatrics, Ewha Womans University, College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
¹Department of Pediatrics, Ewha Womans University, College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea

Correspondence Young Mi YM Hong ,Email: hongym@chollian.net

Abstract

Purpose
: As the prevalence of childhood obesity is increasing, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, insulin resistance and diabetes mellitus have become problems. High homocysteine levels and low vitamin B12 supplementation are acknowledged to have a role in coronary artery disease, but there are few studies on homocysteine, insulin and vitamin B12 levels in obese children. We aimed to study whether homocysteine, insulin, vitamin B12, folic acid levels could have any difference and relation in obese children.
Methods
: The disease group consisted of 27 children from 8 to 11 years old, whose obesity index was over 130. The control group consisted of 30 healthy children of the same age group. Obesity index and body mass index were calculated by height and body weight of the children, and their systolic and diastolic blood pressures at resting state were checked. Total cholesterol, triglyceride, homocysteine, insulin, vitamin B12, folic acid levels were studied after 10 hours of fasting. Intracellular fluid, extracellular fluid, protein, mineral, muscle mass, lean body fat, fat mass and fat percentages were checked by bioelectrical impedance.
Results
: Homocysteine levels were higher in obese children(8.1¡¾2.1 µmol/mL vs. 4.9¡¾1.0 µmol/mL). Insulin levels were also higher in obese children(26.8¡¾11.2 µIU/mL vs. 12.5¡¾5.24 µIUl/mL). Vitamin B12 was lower in obese children(798.6¡¾174.3 pg/mL vs. 967.8¡¾405.0 pg/mL). But there was not a difference in the folic acid levels between the two groups. In obese children, systolic blood pressure (r=0.535), triglyceride(r=0.517), total cholesterol(r=0.408), folic acid(r=0.408), vitamin B12(r=0.338) and abdomoanl fat %(r=0.306) had a positive correlation.
Conclusion
: We found definite differences of insulin, homocysteine, and vitamin B12 plasma levels in obese children, but we need more study to use those parameters as risk factors of metabolic syndrome in pediatric obese patients.

Keywords :Homocysteine , Vitamin B12 , Folic acid , Obesity