Anthropometric measurements and inflammatory biomarkers in obese adolescents

Abstract

Obesity is related to chronic inflammation. Various anthropometric measurements have been shown to be associated with complications of obesity. Identification of the most accurate anthropometric measurement correlated with inflammation could lead to early interventions. The aim of this study was to determine the correlation between anthropometric measurements and inflammatory biomarkers in obese adolescents. A cross-sectional study was performed on obese adolescents at the Pediatric Nutrition Clinic of Dr Soetomo Hospital, Surabaya. The inflammatory markers High Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein (hsCRP) and Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha (TNF-α) were measured using ELISA. Anthropometric measurements including BMI (kg/m2), waist circumference (cm), and waist to hip ratio (WHR) were performed. Statistical analysis was performed using a correlation test with significance set at p<0.05. In total, 59 adolescents aged 13-16 years were included. The mean BMI was 31.99 (26.6-41.13) kg/m2 and the mean waist circumference was 100.18 (75-122) cm. There was no correlation between TNF-α and BMI (r=-0.094; p=0.479), waist circumference (r=-0.041; p=0.757), or WHR (r=0.041; p=0.759). There was also no correlation between hsCRP and BMI (r=0.184; p=0.162) or WHR (r=0.146; p=0.274). However, hsCRP had a weak positive correlation with waist circumference (r=0.315; p=0.015). Waist circumference could serve as an indicator of a systemic inflammatory state in adolescents with obesity.