Effect of Obesity on Serum Lipid Profiles in Libyan Children

Abstract

Overweight and obesity are important determinants of health leading to adverse metabolic change and increase the risk
of non-communicable diseases affecting both developed and developing world. This study was aimed to examine the
relationship between obesity and lipid profiles among Libyan children and to compare them with those with normal
body weight.
The study was conducted on (245) Libyan children. 93 males, 152 females were recruited with age ranging from (3-19
years). Among the tested sample, it has been found that 107 cases were obese (BMI > 30), 47 cases were normal (BMI
< 25), and the rest were classified as overweight which was excluded from this study.
Data were collected from the pediatric nutrition clinic (PNC), of the out-patient department (OPD), Tripoli Pediatric
Central Hospital in Libya. These children were referred to the nutrition clinic by the pediatrician for nutritional
assessment and to be followed up by the dieticians for further nutritional treatment.
Their main problems were obesity, diabetes, underweight, anemia, and others. The time period of data collection was
about 12 months commencing July 2014. In this work a retrospective study was conducted to examine the effect of
obesity on lipid profiles among Libyan children.
Body mass index (BMI) was calculated using the formula: weight (kg)/height (m2
).
Blood samples were collected for analysis of total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high density lipoprotein (HDL),
and low density lipoprotein (LDL). Lipid profile values in obese subjects (BMI >30) were compared with those with
normal body weight (BMI<25).
The obese group had higher total cholesterol Tc, triglycerides TG, and low density lipoproteins LDL with the significant
differences (P ˂ 0.05) when compared to normal body weight group, where’s high density lipoproteins HDL-c was
significantly lower in obese subjects.
Our study demonstrate an association between the lipid profile and body adiposity in obese children and adolescents,
thus reinforcing the importance of treating obese adolescents early to prevent health related problems in adult life.