Suarez-Ortegon MF, et al. - Researchers investigated if alterations in ferritin levels during childhood are associated with metabolic syndrome (MetS) at adolescence. They used ferritin levels at 5, 10 and 16 years as well as studied linear increases and patterns of sustained increased levels across childhood in order to assess these associations. Based on non-missing values for study variables at each stage, they assessed 4 samples (5 years: 562; 10 years: 381; and 16 years: 567 children; non-missing values at any stage: 379). They assessed MetS risk as a continuous Z score. Findings demonstrated a positive association between ferritin levels throughout childhood and cardiometabolic risk in adolescence, with associations varying by sex.