Ultrasonographic Assessment of the Common Carotid Intima‐Media Complex in Normal Weight Children and in Overweight/Obese Children

Considering that obesity is a global epidemic and a major public health challenge, both in first world and developing countries, this condition is seen as one of the modifiable risk factors for several non-communicable chronic diseases, one of them being cardiovascular disease. In Brazil, current data shows that the percentage of children under ten years old who are overweight is 33.5% the obesity incidence rate among individuals of the age group 10–19 years old is 14.3%. In adolescents the overweight rate is 20% and obesity rate is 4% among girls and 5.9% among boys. Given this data, it becomes necessary to identify early abnormal cardiovascular activity when it comes to overweight or obese children. Ultrasonography type “B” of the common carotid evaluates, accurately and in real time, its walls constitution, making it possible to detect premature changes in the common carotid intima-media thickness measurement in both adults, children and young adolescents in normal weight rage and in those who are overweight or obese. This study compared the nutritional status of children using ultrasonographic parameters of the common carotid arteries (the intima-media complex). The study included 59 children of both genders, between 7 years old and just short of 10 years old. The children were referred from the health centers and were made up of Ribeirao Preto residents and residents of different cities. Personal and anthropometric data was collected of each child. The children were categorized, according to their nutritional status, into two groups: non-obese and overweight/obese. The study participants then underwent ultrasound of the carotid system for evaluation of the common carotid intima-media. The results show that the groups were homogeneous in age and gender, but not in relation to BMI z-score and in relation to the thickness measurement of the common carotid intima-media. The average thickness of the intima-media complex in the group overweight/obese was 0,49mm; in the non-obese group, the measurement was 0,41mm. There was a significant difference between groups (p <0.01). It was concluded that the thickness of the intima-media complex of children overweight group/obesity was higher than the thickness of the intima-media complex non-obese group. Correlation between Common Carotid Intima-Media Complex in Normal Weight Children and in Overweight/Obese Children Correlation between Common Carotid Intima-Media Complex in Normal Weight Children and in Overweight/Obese Children