ABSTRACT
Objectives: Childhood obesity is an important risk factor for adulthood obesity. The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between red cell distribution widths [RDW], ischemia modified albumin [IMA], mean platelet volume [MPV] and childhood obesity
Design: Prospective case-control study
Setting: General pediatric outpatient clinics of the Department of Pediatrics, Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University Hospital, Turkey
Subjects: One hundred and seven [57 obese and 50 normal weight] children and adolescents [aged 5-18 years]
Interventions: Age, gender, body mass index [BMI] were recorded. The serum IMA and complete blood count level of the subjects were measured. RDW, MPV, hemoglobin [Hb], hematocrit [Hct], mean corpuscular volume [MCV], red blood cell [RBC], platelet count and white blood cell [WBC] count were measured as part of the automated complete blood count
Main Outcome Measures: The RDW and IMA were found significantly higher in obese children and adolescents than normal weighted ones [p < 0.001]. MPV values were minimally increased in obese subjects as compared to normal weighted peers [p = 0.05]
Results: Hb, MCV, platelet and WBC counts were similar between normal and obese subjects. The Hct and RBC count were significantly higher in obese subjects
Conclusions: In the present study we demonstrated that IMA and RDW levels are significantly higher in obese children and adolescents as compared to those with normal weight. The IMA and RDW had positive correlation with BMI. These results support that oxidative and inflammatory processes of obesity begin in childhood