Modest decrease in severity of obesity in adolescence associates with low arterial stiffness

Atherosclerosis. 2021 Oct:335:23-30. doi: 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2021.09.013. Epub 2021 Sep 14.

Abstract

Background and aims: Childhood obesity is associated with cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF), subclinical cardiovascular phenotypes (carotid intima-media thickness, cIMT; pulse-wave velocity, PWV; and carotid elasticity), and adult cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality. In youth with obesity (body mass index, BMI ≥95th centile), we investigated associations between changes in adiposity and CVRF in early adolescence and subclinical cardiovascular phenotypes in late adolescence.

Methods: Participants had adiposity measures (the severity of obesity in percentage >95th BMI-centile (%>95th BMI-centile)), waist circumference (WC), percentage total body fat (%BF) and CVRF (systolic blood pressure, SBP; glycoprotein acetyls, GlycA; and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol) assessed in early (mean age 10.2 ± 3.5y) and late (15.7 ± 3.7y) adolescence. Subclinical cardiovascular phenotypes were assessed in late adolescence. Multivariable regression analysis was performed.

Results: Decreasing the %>95th BMI-centile was associated with carotid elasticity (0.945%/10 mmHg, p = 0.002) in females, and with PWV in males (-0.75 m/s, p < 0.001). Changes in all adiposity measures (per 1-unit increase) were associated with carotid elasticity (-0.020 to -0.063%/10 mmHg, p < 0.005), and PWV (0.011-0.045 m/s, p < 0.005). Changes in GlycA (per 50μmol-increase) were associated with elasticity (-0.162%/10 mmHg, p = 0.042), and changes in SBP (per 10 mmHg-increase) were associated with PWV (0.260 m/s, p < 0.001). Adjusted for change in BMI, the coefficient for GlycA was reduced by 46% and for SBP by 12%. Only male sex was associated with cIMT (+34 μm, p = 0.006).

Conclusions: In youth with obesity, decreasing or maintaining the severity of obesity, and decreasing the levels of SBP and GlycA from early to late adolescence was associated with low arterial stiffness.

Keywords: Arterial injury; Arterial stiffness; Inflammation; Obesity; Pediatrics.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Body Mass Index
  • Carotid Intima-Media Thickness
  • Child
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Pediatric Obesity* / diagnosis
  • Pediatric Obesity* / epidemiology
  • Pulse Wave Analysis
  • Risk Factors
  • Vascular Stiffness*
  • Waist Circumference