Adipose tissue distribution and behaviour of selected gastro-entero-pancreatic hormones, glycaemia, growth hormone and somatomedin C in obese children.

Abstract

Twenty-three boys and 30 girls with simple obesity aged 12-16 years were investigated. The values of insulin, C-peptide, glycaemia, gastrinaemia and pancreatic polipeptide (PP) were measured in a fasting state and 30 and 60 min. after meal--at the beginning and after 3 weeks of reductive diet and physical exercise. The study of growth hormone and somatomedin C was deemed relevant to the issue in hand. Considerably higher insulinaemia and C-peptidemia values accompanied by impaired metabolic clearance of insulin and lowered glucose utilization in children with significant accumulation of adipose tissue in the abdominal area (waist/hip ratio p > 0.95), may constitute a possible predictor for diet-controlled diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular system diseases in adult age. Evaluation of adipose tissue in obese children makes it easier to indicate subjects exposed to complications at a later age. Low-caloric diet and physical exercise bring about a decrease in insulin secretion and an increase in its metabolic clearance. At the same time, glucose assimilation by cells is intensified.