Obesidade e síndrome metabólica

: será pertinente a sua definição em idade pediátrica?

Abstract

Childhood obesity is considered a worldwide epidemic that has serious repercussions, not only because it can be maintained until adulthood but also because it increases the early risk of metabolic complications associated with excess body fat, namely metabolic syndrome (SM). Therefore, obesity functions as a predictive factor for metabolic changes, including high blood pressure, dyslipidemia and insulin resistance, which in turn leads to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (DCV). The definition of SM is not consensual in adulthood, much less pediatric age. To the limitations of the definition in adulthood, in pediatric age is added the high variability of the somatic and biochemical parameters that integrate the definition of MS. In fact, chronological age, biological maturity, gender, and early factors such as birth weight and growth pattern are crucial to their definition of risk, particularly in an obese situation. The prevalence of SM has increased in parallel with obesity, but it will probably be more assertive to identify individuals at cardiometabolic risk than to worry about characterizing the presence of the syndrome in self. The author, with the present study, intends to present the difficulty of diagnosing MS at pediatric age and to suggest a greater attention to factors other than the classic definition of SM, which may result in higher individual risk of cardiovascular disease.

Date of Award	15 Jul 2022
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Carla Rêgo (Supervisor)