Is Neck Circumference an Indicator for Metabolic Complication of Childhood Obesity?

BACKGROUND: The possible role of neck circumference (NC) for screening childhood obesity and its complication is not well characterized.AIM: To assess NC and to explore its increase as risk factor with metabolic syndrome (MS) variables. METHODS: Cross sectional case-control study included 50 obese children (BMI ≥95th percentile) and 50 healthy (BMI 15th-‹85th percentile). All were subjected to clinical examination, measuring blood pressure (BP), body weight, height, NC, waist (WC) and hip (HC)., fasting blood glucose, insulin and lipid profile.  RESULTS: MS was detected among 52% of obese participants, but not among controls (0%). Clinical parameters and most of the laboratory values were higher in subjects with MS than in non-metabolic subjects, with statistical significance only in blood pressure and triglycerides. Among obese without MS, NC showed significantly positive correlations with age, weight, height, WC, HC and negative with LDL. While among Obese with MS, NC showed significantly positive correlations with age, weight, height, BMI-SDS, WC, HC and DBP.CONCLUSION: NC can be considered as a good indicator and predictor for obesity, especially central obesity. However, NC has no relation with lipid profile or fasting blood sugar

Comparison of Three Protocols: Dietary Therapy and Physical Activity, Acupuncture, or Laser Acupuncture in Management of Obese Females

AIM: The aim of this study was to compare efficiency of three types of obesity management protocols: dietary measures and physical activity; acupuncture or laser acupuncture with   healthy diet among obese females.SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Randomized longitudinal prospective study, carried out on 76 adult females. Blood pressure, anthropometric, ultrasonographic and biochemical assessments were done.RESULTS: Females undergo nutritional intervention showed highly significant improvement in the anthropometric measurements, visceral fat at umbilicus by US and diastolic blood pressure (decreased), and insignificant differences in fasting blood sugar and lipid profile. Female undergo acupuncture intervention showed highly significant improvement in visceral fat by US, lipid profile (decreased triglycerides, total cholesterol and LDL, and increased HDL), and decreased fasting blood sugar, and insignificant differences in the anthropometric measurements. Those undergo laser intervention showed highly significant improvement in all anthropometric measurements under study, visceral fat at umbilicus by US, blood pressure and some parameters of lipid profile (decreased total cholesterol and LDL). CONCLUSIONS: Nutritional intervention alone could be used to reduce weight if the lipid profile within normal range, but if it is impaired, acupuncture should be used beside. To strength the reduction in body anthropometry, laser intervention was recommended beside the nutritional intervention

Body Composition Changes after Weight-Loss Interventions among Obese Females: A Comparison of Three Protocols

AIM: To evaluate body composition changes after use of three different types of obesity management protocols: dietary measures and physical activity; acupuncture or laser acupuncture with healthy diet; aiming at achieving stable weight loss among obese Egyptian females.METHODS:  A randomized longitudinal prospective study included 76 obese adult females; aged 26 up to 55 years. Anthropometric, body composition, ultrasonographic and biochemical assessments were done.RESULTS: The three types of obesity management protocols showed significant improvement in body composition (decrease in fat% and increases in FFM and TBW) and visceral fat by US. However, nutritional intervention showed highly significant improvement in the skin fold thickness at triceps and biceps sites and peripheral adiposity index.  Acupuncture intervention showed highly significant improvement in fasting blood glucose (decreased) and lipid profile (decreased triglycerides, total cholesterol and LDL, and increased HDL). Laser intervention showed highly significant improvement in all the skin fold thickness and some parameters of lipid profile (decreased total cholesterol and LDL). CONCLUSIONS: The three obesity management protocols have significant effect on body composition, but acupuncture has the best effect in improving the lipid profile and fasting blood sugar. In addition, Laser intervention was recommended to improve skin fold thickness and subcutaneous fat

Apolipoprotein B polymorphism distribution among a sample of obese Egyptian females with visceral obesity and its influence on lipid profile

Background: Regional distribution of adipose tissue is more important than total amount of body fat in predicting complications associated with obesity. Apolipoprotein B (Apo B) plays a central role in lipid metabolism. Aim: To investigate the importance of the XbaI polymorphism of Apo B gene (C7673T) as risk factor for visceral obesity and its influence on lipid profile. Subjects and methods: Total of 122 obese adult females (BMI ⩾ 30 kg/m2): 56 of them with visceral obesity (⩾7 cm by abdominal Ultrasound) and 66 without visceral obesity and 36 age matched non-obese (BMI ⩽ 25 kg/m2) without visceral obesity were studied. Anthropometric assessment, body composition, visceral obesity and lipid profile evaluation were attempted. Genetic analysis of Apo B XbaI was performed using Polymerase Chain Reaction-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). Results: Visceral obesity was associated significantly with the presence of the heterozygous (CT) genotype of the XbaI Apo B gene (p < 0.001). Frequency of homozygous (CC) was significantly the least genotype found in females with visceral obesity, while homozygote (TT) genotype was more frequent in those without visceral obesity. T allele (about 70%) was more frequent than C allele (about 30%) in all groups. Significant lowest values of visceral obesity, triglyceride and HDL-C were associated with the presence of (CC) genotype and the highest values were associated with the presence of the heterozygous (CT) genotype; except HDL-C with (TT) genotype. Conclusions: Study reveals considerable association of Apo B XbaI gene polymorphism with visceral obesity and some lipid profile parameters (TG and HDL-C) among Egyptian females

Is Neck Circumference an Indicator for Metabolic Complication of Childhood Obesity?

Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist. Abstract BACKGROUND: The possible role of neck circumference (NC) for screening childhood obesity and its complication is not well characterized