Intraindividual double-burden of anthropometric undernutrition & “metabolic obesity” in Indian children
Intra-individual coexistence of anthropometrically defined undernutrition and ‘metabolic obesity’ is not commonly investigated in young children and adolescents especially in Low-and-Middle-Income-Countries where there is rapid nutrition transition. Intra-individual coexistence is characterized by the presence of at least one abnormal cardiometabolic risk factor. Harshpal Singh Sachdev and colleagues have conducted research under the title “Intraindividual double-burden of anthropometric undernutrition and “metabolic obesity in Indian children: a paradox that needs Action” published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The summary of this research is given below:
Objective:
To investigate the presence of coexistence of undernutrition and metabolic obesity in young children and adolescents.
Method:
The anthropometric and socio-demographic characteristics of 5–19 years old participants from the population-based Comprehensive National Nutrition Survey in India (2016–2018) were used in the study. These characteristics were compared to biomarkers of metabolic obesity. The serum lipid profile was analyzed in 22567 participants, fasting glucose in 23192 participants, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1C) in 25962, and all jointly were analyzed in 19143 participants.
Findings:
Investigators report a paradox for the existence of metabolic obesity in more than half of children and adolescents who were found to be undernourished and normal weight as per anthropometric measurements. Immediate, active, and appropriate lifestyle intervention is suggested in almost one-third of undernourished patients due to the clustering of two metabolic dysfunctions. The is an immediate need for invesments to investigate the biological characteristics of such phenotypes and consideration of reliable biomarkers instead of anthropometry alone for defining nutritional status.
Limitation:
Information on some biomarkers was missing in participants, although this doesn’t affect the end result. Additionally, important indicators of metabolic obesity were not analyzed.
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