Original investigation

Ethnic differences in cardiometabolic risk profile in an overweight/obese paediatric cohort in the Netherlands: a cross-sectional study

Mariska van Vliet^1,2 , Inès A von Rosenstiel¹ , Roger K Schindhelm³ , Desiderius PM Brandjes⁴ , Jos H Beijnen⁵ and Michaela Diamant²

¹  Department of Paediatrics, Slotervaart Hospital, Amsterdam, the Netherlands

²  Department of Endocrinology/Diabetes Centre, VU University Medical Centre, Amsterdam, the Netherlands

³  Department of Clinical Chemistry, Isala Clinics, Zwolle, the Netherlands

⁴  Department of Internal Medicine, Slotervaart Hospital, Amsterdam, the Netherlands

⁵  Department of Pharmacy & Pharmacology, Slotervaart Hospital, Amsterdam, the Netherlands

author email corresponding author email

Cardiovascular Diabetology 2009, 8:2doi:10.1186/1475-2840-8-2

Published:	19 January 2009

Abstract

Background

Differences in prevalence of cardiometabolic risk factors between different ethnic groups are largely unknown. We determined the variation in cardiometabolic risk profile according to ethnicity in a cohort overweight/obese Dutch children.

Methods

An oral glucose tolerance test was performed in 516 overweight/obese Dutch children of multi-ethnic origin, attending an obesity out-patient clinic of an urban general hospital (mean age 10.6 ± 3.2; 55.2% boys). Anthropometric parameters and blood samples were collected, and the prevalence of (components of) the metabolic syndrome (MetS) and insulin resistance were determined in each ethnic group.

Results

Major ethnic groups were Dutch native (18.4%), Turkish (28.1%), and Moroccan (25.8%). The remaining group (27.7%) consisted of children with other ethnicities. Turkish children had the highest mean standardized BMI compared to Dutch native children (P < 0.05). As compared to Moroccan children, they had a higher prevalence of MetS (22.8% vs. 12.8%), low HDL-cholesterol (37.9% vs. 25.8%), hypertension (29.7% vs. 18.0%) and insulin resistance (54.9% vs. 37.4%, all P < 0.05). Although Turkish children also had higher prevalences of forementioned risk factors than Dutch native children, these differences were not statistically significant. Insulin resistance was associated with MetS in the Turkish and Moroccan subgroup (OR 6.6; 95%CI, 2.4–18.3 and OR 7.0; 95%CI, 2.1–23.1, respectively).

Conclusion

In a Dutch cohort of overweight/obese children, Turkish children showed significantly higher prevalences of cardiometabolic risk factors relative to their peers of Moroccan descent. The prospective value of these findings needs to be established as this may warrant the need for differential ethnic-specific preventive measures.