Childhood Obesity Takes Early Toll on Liver Health

Weight gain and greater waist circumference during early- and mid-childhood can negatively affect liver health by age 8 years, according to new research.

In a study of 635 children in the Project Viva Cohort, researchers measured height, skinfolds thicknesses, and waist and hip circumferences at early and mid-childhood visits.
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Blood samples were also collected at mid-childhood visits for alanine aminotransferase (ALT) analysis.

The relationship between early- and mid-childhood adiposity measures and mid-childhood ALT levels were examined via multivariable linear and logistic regression models.

Approximately 29% of patients were found to have overweight or obesity during early childhood, with a mean waist circumference of 20.28 in. Furthermore, 23% of participants demonstrated elevated ALT levels during mid-childhood, with a mean ALT of 20.3 units/L.

Following adjustment, results indicated that each 3.94-in increase in waist circumference during early childhood was tied to a 1.99-fold increased risk of elevated ALT levels during mid-childhood.

The researchers noted that greater increases from early- to mid-childhood in adiposity measures such as body mass index z score, sum of subscapular and triceps skinfold thicknesses, waist circumference, and hip circumference was associated with greater mid-childhood ALT levels.

“In this prospective cohort, greater waist circumference at early childhood and greater increases in adiposity measures from early to mid-childhood were associated with greater ALT levels at mid-childhood,” the researchers concluded.

—Christina Vogt

Reference:

Woo Baidal JA, Elbel EE, Lavine JE, et al. Associations of early to mid-childhood adiposity with elevated mid-childhood alanine aminotransferase levels in the Project Viva cohort [Published online April 4, 2018]. J Pediatr. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpeds.2018.01.069.