Key result
Brown adipose tissue activity is connected with glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity, implicating it as an important influencing factor in metabolic syndrome.
Brown adipose tissue plays a relevant role in energy homeostasis and glucose/lipid regulation in children and adolescents, potentially influencing the development of metabolic syndrome.
Does not support changing pediatric metabolic care; hypothesis-generating for BAT's role in insulin sensitivity, needing prospective trials.
BACKGROUND: To regulate body temperature, mammals possess brown adipose tissue (BAT), which converts significant amounts of chemical energy into heat. Due to its remarkable energy demand, BAT is currently discussed as a target organ to treat obesity and obesity-related disorders. SUMMARY: Although BAT is predominantly present in infants and its relative mass declines with age, new findings suggest that BAT has a relevant role in the regulation of energy homeostasis as well as in the regulation of the energy substrates glucose and lipids in older children, adolescents, and adults. In this overview, we will outline basic mechanisms of BAT thermogenesis and the recently described physiological relevance of BAT in metabolism in children and adolescents. KEY MESSAGE: The connection of BAT activity with glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity seems to be evident from recent studies, implicating BAT as an important influencing factor in the context of metabolic syndrome.
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Tews et al. (2021) conducted a review in Obesity and metabolic syndrome. Brown adipose tissue (BAT) was evaluated. Brown adipose tissue activity is connected with glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity, implicating it as an important influencing factor in metabolic syndrome.
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