Magnesium is an essential micronutrient that plays a critical role in insulin signaling, glucose metabolism, and energy balance. With the growing global burden of childhood obesity and metabolic dysfunction, serum magnesium deficiency has emerged as a potential modifiable factor in the development of insulin resistance. This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the association between serum magnesium levels and insulin resistance among overweight and obese children. A comprehensive search of electronic databases and clinical trial registries was conducted for studies published between 2011 and 2025. Following rigorous screening and eligibility assessment, seven studies comprising a total of 960 children were included in the final analysis. Across the selected studies, serum magnesium deficiency was significantly associated with both obesity and insulin resistance. For obesity-related outcomes, the pooled odds ratio (OR) was 2.82 (95% CI: 1.99-3.95, p < 0.00001), with study-specific ORs ranging from 2.60 to 2.95. For insulin resistance, the pooled OR was 2.91 (95% CI: 2.10-4.04, p < 0.00001), with individual study ORs ranging from 2.60 to 3.25, all with p-values < 0.001. Heterogeneity across studies was low to moderate (I² = 32%, χ² = 8.82, df = 6, p = 0.18), indicating consistency in outcomes. These findings provide strong evidence that low serum magnesium levels are significantly associated with both obesity and insulin resistance in pediatric populations. Magnesium deficiency may act as both a biomarker and a contributing factor to early metabolic disturbances. Given its potential reversibility, early detection and dietary or supplemental correction of magnesium deficiency could be a valuable strategy in preventing or mitigating insulin resistance in overweight and obese children.
Mashayekhi et al. (Wed,) studied this question.