Evaluation of nutritional status in Turkish adolescents as related to gender and socioeconomic status.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the nutritional status of Turkish high school adolescents using anthropometric indicators and to determine the relationship of nutritional status with gender and socioeconomic status (SES) in adolescents. METHODS: Six hundred eighty adolescent students (n=284 males, 396 females) aged 14-18 years were selected from 6 high schools of different regions. Nutritional status was evaluated according to the anthropometric indicators, which were based on the WHO criteria. Adolescents were grouped into three SES categories. RESULTS: The rates of being stunted, underweight, and overweight/obesity were 4.4%, 5.0% and 16.8%, respectively. Height and weight standard deviation scores (SDS) were significantly lower in adolescents with low SES (p<0.05). The frequency of stunting was significantly higher in adolescents with low SES (p=0.012). Frequency of underweight, overweight and obesity did not differ significantly between socioeconomic groups and genders (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: Adolescents of low SES were shorter and thinner than those of other SES categories. Undernutrition needs to be addressed in low SES. Among all Turkish adolescents, the major nutritional problems were overweight and obesity. There were no SES and gender differences in prevalence of overweight and obesity among the Turkish school adolescents living in urban areas. Prevalence of obesity is rising, regardless of differences in SES and gender, in developing countries too.

Factors affecting carotid intima media thickness predicts early atherosclerosis in overweight and obese adolescents.

OBJECTIVE: Aims of this study were to compare serum leptin levels, atherosclerotic markers and carotid intima media thickness (IMT) among the overweight, obese and normal weight healthy adolescents and to investigate the association of carotid IMT with leptin and atherosclerotic markers in adolescence. METHODS: Seventy obese-overweight adolescents (27 of them obese, 43 of them overweight) and 72 two normal weight adolescents aged 14-18 years were included in this study. Leptin and homocysteine levels and lipid profiles were determined and carotid IMT were measured in all adolescents. Subjects were evaluated as obese-overweight and normal weight and obese, overweight and normal weight. RESULTS: Carotid IMT was significantly different among the overweight adolescents, obese adolescents and the control group (p < 0.001). Leptin levels were significantly higher in obese-overweight adolescents compared to the control group (p < 0.001). Apolipoprotein (Apo) B levels were significantly higher in obese adolescents than the overweight ones and the control group (p < 0.016). There were significantly positive correlations of carotid IMT with leptin, homocysteine and Apo B levels (p < 0.05, r = 0.33, 0.28, 021, respectively). The factors associated with carotid IMT were leptin and ApoB levels (ß = 0.632, p < 0.04, ß = 0.264, p = 0.019, respectively). CONCLUSION: Subclinical atherosclerosis determined by carotid IMT begins in overweight adolescents. Elevated leptin and Apo B levels are independent predictors of subclinical atherosclerosis. Leptin resistance, which is related to subclinical atherosclerosis, also begins in overweight adolescents. High Apo B levels, which promote development of atherosclerosis are more prominent in obese adolescents than other groups. For these reasons, all necessary precautions should be taken in overweight adolescents to prevent atherosclerosis as well as in obese adolescents.