Barstad LH, et al. - Researchers analyzed the gender differences in cardiometabolic risk factors and lifestyle behaviors among adolescents with severe obesity. The purpose was to put forth the hypothesizing that boys would have both a higher prevalence of the metabolic syndrome as well as less healthy lifestyle behaviors than girls. When compared with girls, treatment-seeking adolescent boys with severe obesity had a more unfavorable set of metabolic and behavioral risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Thorough evaluation was recommended of the lifestyle behavioral markers in both genders.

Methods

• Eligible candidates included treatment-seeking adolescents with severe obesity who attended the Morbid Obesity Centre at Vestfold Hospital Trust and who were consecutively enrolled in the Vestfold Register of Obese Children between September 2009 and September 2015.
• The researchers recruited 313 adolescents aged 12 to 18 years, whereof 268 subjects (49% boys) completed a food and activity frequency questionnaire and were included in the analysis.

Results

• In this study, the mean (SD) age, BMI and BMI SDS were 15 (1.6) years, 38.6 (5.9) kg/m² and 3.5 (0.6).
• No differences were noted among levels of LDL cholesterol, fasting insulin and glucose and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) between genders.
• In contrast with girls, boys had significantly higher triglycerides (p=0.037) and systolic blood pressure (SBP) (p=0.003), along with lower HDL cholesterol (p=0.002).
• The metabolic syndrome was present in 27% of the boys and 19% of the girls (p=0.140).
• Furthermore, the prevalence of high DBP, dyslipidemia, and dysglycemia did not differ significantly between genders.
• In boys, the prevalence of high SBP was higher than in girls (19% vs 9%, p=0.021).
• A number of lifestyle habits were obserevd to be associated with gender, as a larger proportion of boys had higher screen time (p=0.032), more regular breakfast eating (p=0.023), higher intake of sugar-sweetened soda (p=0.036), and lower intake of vegetables than girls (p=0.011).
• On the other hand, between genders, physical activity level and intake of fruit and berries did not differ.