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Nutrition in acute and chronic diseases

Metabolic syndrome and risk factors in children: a risk score proposal

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 77, pages 278–282 (2023)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Introduction/Objective

The lack of international consensus on the definition of Metabolic Syndrome (MS) in the pediatric population makes it difficult to estimate its prevalence. In this study, we intend to identify MS prevalence and a cutoff point based on a continuous score in children aged four to seven years.

Methods

A cross-sectional study of 402 children (4–7 years) monitored by the Lactation Support Program (PROLAC). A continuous MS risk score was assessed using Principal Component Analysis (PCA). In order to calculate the score, the following MS risk factors were considered: Waist circumference (WC), High Density Lipoprotein (HDL), Triglycerides (TG), Blood Pressure (BP) and Blood sugar. Using a Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) curve, the cutoff point for predicting MS risk based on continuous score was evaluated.

Results

A progressive increase in MS scores was observed according to increase in the number of risk factors. This increase was also observed when comparing boys and girls (p < 0.001). In the absence of MS, the median score among the children was −0.0486 (−0.2929–0.2151). For children with MS, the median score was 0.5237 (0.2286–0.7104) (p < 0.001). The best cutoff score for predicting MS in children aged four to five years was >0.09 (100% sensitivity and specificity 72.67%). For children aged six to seven years, this value was >0.14 (100% sensitivity and 64.65% specificity).

Conclusion

The calculated continuous risk score can predict MS with good accuracy and high sensitivity and reasonable specificity.

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Data availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, SAVR, upon reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

We thank all the children who participated in this study and their parents and/or guardians for believing in our work. We are grateful to the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) for granting the master’s scholarship.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nutrition and Health, Universidade Federal de Viçosa (UFV), Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil

    Larissa Pereira Lourenço, Sylvia do Carmo Castro Franceschini, Carla de Oliveira Barbosa Rosa & Sarah Aparecida Vieira Ribeiro

  2. Department of Nutrition, Universidade Federal do Piauí (UFPI), Teresina, Piauí, Brazil

    Poliana Cristina de Almeida Fonseca Viola

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  1. Larissa Pereira Lourenço
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Contributions

LPL performed the study design, writing, interpretation and analysis of the data. PCAFV contributed to the statistical analyses, reading of the text, and approval of the final version to be published. SCCF and COBR contributed to the writing and approved the final version. SAVR guided the work, contributed to data extraction and analysis, interpretation of results, correction of writing, and approval of the final version of the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Larissa Pereira Lourenço.

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Lourenço, L.P., Viola, P.C.d.A.F., Franceschini, S.d.C.C. et al. Metabolic syndrome and risk factors in children: a risk score proposal. Eur J Clin Nutr 77, 278–282 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41430-022-01217-z

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