Endocrine Abstracts

Aim: To evaluate bone mineral density (BMD) and its relationship with calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P) metabolism in children with obesity.

Methods: We examined 105 children in the University Hospital (Minsk) from 2011 to 2015 yrs. Their anthropometric parameters (height, weight, BMI) were determined. Body composition with evaluating of mineral component were made by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry with the calculation of feet, hands, spine, ribs, hips BMD (g/cm²), Z-test. The levels of Ca and P, alkaline phosphatase (AlP) were determined. All children were divided into two groups: group one – children with obesity (n=75, boys(B)/girls(G) =47/28, age 15.34±2.12 yrs, BMI 32.7±5.3 kg/m²; group 2 – normal-weight control (n=30, B/G=19/11, 15.08±2.47 yrs (P=0.3), 19.4±2.4 kg/m² (P=0.0001)).

Results: Legs BMD were increased in boys with obesity (0.94±0.11 g/cm² vs 1.13±0.17 g/cm² (P=0.03)) compared to control group without significant differences in G (1.29±0.12 g/cm² vs 1.23±0.02 g/cm² (P=0.5). Ribs BMD were higher in group 1 children compared to group 2 (B 0.72±0.08 g/cm² vs 0.59±0.06 g/cm² (P=0.02); G 0.71±0.05 g/cm² vs 0.65±0.06 g/cm² (P=0.05)). There were no significant differences in hand BMD (G 0.87±0.10 g/cm² vs 0.85±0.13 g/cm² (P=0.836); B 0.93±0.14 g/cm² vs 0.85±0.15 g/cm² (P=0.360)); total (G 1.18±0.09 g/cm² vs 1.11±0.13 g/cm² (P=0.29); B 1.17±0.13 g/cm² vs 1.06±0.14 g/cm² (P=0.21)) in obese children compared to control. A significant increase in Ca levels were in obese B compared to control (2.48±0.07 vs 2.41±0.001 mmol/l (P=0.001)) with no differences in G (2.43±0.09 vs 2.41±1.2 mmol/l (P=0.86)). There were no differences in P (G 1.23±0.22 vs 0.95±0.64 mmol/l (P=0.78); B 1.32±0.27 vs 1.30±0.18 mmol/l (P=0.85)), and AlP (G 108.06±26.66 vs 85.13±65.64 IU/l (P=0.46); B 217.93±57.24 vs 157.27±26.41 IU/l (P=0.68) in two groups.

Conclusions: A significant increase in ribs and legs BMD, Ca levels were found in children with obesity compared to normal weight control.