ABSTRACT
Childhood overweight and obesity can be an underlying cause of atherosclerosis. An early stage of atherosclerosis is shown by intimal thickening. The purpose of this study is to evaluate intima-media thickness [IMT] of carotid arteries on 12 to18 years' old obese children in comparison to control group. In a case-control study, height, weight, blood pressure, cholesterol, triglyceride, mean IMT of body and bulb of carotid artery [of both sides] were measured in eighty [40 obese and 40 normal], 12 to18 years old students. Data was analyzed by X[2] and student - test in SPSS-15 analytical software at P<0.05. The mean age in obese and control groups were 13.9 +/- 1.7 and 14.4 +/- 1.9 years respectively [P=0.192] .The mean weight, cholesterol and triglyceride in the obese group was 72.05 kg, 175.9 mg/dl and 154.9mg/dl. In control group, 47.9 kg, 146.9 mg/dl and 90.05 mg/dl respectively [P<0.000]. The mean carotid artery IMT in obese and control groups were 0.4806, 0.4167 [P<0.00] and the mean IMT of bulb were 0.4885, 0.4362 [P<0.00] respectively. Increase in IMT of body and bulb of carotid artery, were shown in obese adolescences and these increases of thickness were associated with high blood levels of cholesterol and triglyceride