Subcutaneous Adipose Tissue Measured by B-Mode Ultrasound to Assess and Monitor Obesity and Cardio–Metabolic Risk in Children and Adolescents
Karin Schmid-Zalaudek,
Bianca Brix,
Marietta Sengeis,
Andreas Jantscher,
Alfred Fürhapter-Rieger,
Wolfram Müller,
Edna N. Matjuda,
Muhau M. Mungamba,
Benedicta Nkeh-Chungag,
Per Morten Fredriksen,
Nandu Goswami
Affiliations
Karin Schmid-Zalaudek
Otto Loewi Research Center for Vascular Biology, Physiology Division, Immunology and Inflammation, Medical University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
Bianca Brix
Otto Loewi Research Center for Vascular Biology, Physiology Division, Immunology and Inflammation, Medical University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
Marietta Sengeis
Gottfried Schatz Research Centre, Biophysics Division, Medical University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
Andreas Jantscher
Otto Loewi Research Center for Vascular Biology, Physiology Division, Immunology and Inflammation, Medical University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
Alfred Fürhapter-Rieger
Gottfried Schatz Research Centre, Biophysics Division, Medical University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
Wolfram Müller
Gottfried Schatz Research Centre, Biophysics Division, Medical University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
Edna N. Matjuda
Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Walter Sisulu University, Mthatha 5117, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa
Muhau M. Mungamba
Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Walter Sisulu University, Mthatha 5117, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa
Benedicta Nkeh-Chungag
Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Walter Sisulu University, Mthatha 5117, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa
Per Morten Fredriksen
School of Health Sciences, Kristiania University College, Kristiania University, 0107 Oslo, Norway
Nandu Goswami
Otto Loewi Research Center for Vascular Biology, Physiology Division, Immunology and Inflammation, Medical University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
Monitoring of children at heightened risk of cardio–metabolic diseases raises the need for accurate assessment of obesity. A standardized approach for measuring subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) by bright-mode ultrasound was evaluated in relation to body indices and anthropometry in a cross-sectional sample of 76 South African children (7–10 years) and 86 adolescents (13–17 years) to assess cardio–metabolic risk. SAT was higher in girls as compared to boys (children: 50.0 ± 21.7 mm > 34.42 ± 15.8 mm, adolescents: 140.9 ± 59.4 mm > 79.5 ± 75.6 mm, p p p 2–3-fold) in their amount of SAT. The moderate association to systolic (r = 0.534, r = 0.550, p p < 0.001) further substantiates that SAT measured by ultrasound provides an accurate, safe and easy applicable approach for monitoring in children and adolescents at cardio–metabolic risk.
