Skeptical Look at the Clinical Implication of Metabolic Syndrome in Childhood Obesity
Malgorzata Wasniewska,
Giorgia Pepe,
Tommaso Aversa,
Simonetta Bellone,
Luisa de Sanctis,
Procolo Di Bonito,
Maria Felicia Faienza,
Nicola Improda,
Maria Rosaria Licenziati,
Claudio Maffeis,
Alice Maguolo,
Giuseppina Patti,
Barbara Predieri,
Mariacarolina Salerno,
Stefano Stagi,
Maria Elisabeth Street,
Giuliana Valerio,
Domenico Corica,
Valeria Calcaterra
Affiliations
Malgorzata Wasniewska
Division of Pediatrics, Department of Human Pathology of Adulthood and Childhood, University of Messina, 98121 Messina, Italy
Giorgia Pepe
Division of Pediatrics, Department of Human Pathology of Adulthood and Childhood, University of Messina, 98121 Messina, Italy
Tommaso Aversa
Division of Pediatrics, Department of Human Pathology of Adulthood and Childhood, University of Messina, 98121 Messina, Italy
Simonetta Bellone
Division of Pediatrics, Department of Health Sciences, University of Piemonte Orientale, 28100 Novara, Italy
Luisa de Sanctis
Department of Public Health and Pediatric Sciences, University of Torino, 10126 Turin, Italy
Procolo Di Bonito
Department of Internal Medicine, “Santa Maria delle Grazie” Hospital, 80078 Pozzuoli, Italy
Maria Felicia Faienza
Department of Precision and Regenerative Medicine and Ionian Area, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, 70124 Bari, Italy
Nicola Improda
Neuro-Endocrine Diseases and Obesity Unit, Department of Neurosciences, Santobono-Pausilipon Children’s Hospital, 80122 Napoli, Italy
Maria Rosaria Licenziati
Neuro-Endocrine Diseases and Obesity Unit, Department of Neurosciences, Santobono-Pausilipon Children’s Hospital, 80122 Napoli, Italy
Claudio Maffeis
Department of Surgery, Dentistry, Pediatrics and Gynecology, Section of Pediatric Diabetes and Metabolism, University and Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata of Verona, 37126 Verona, Italy
Alice Maguolo
Department of Surgery, Dentistry, Pediatrics and Gynecology, Section of Pediatric Diabetes and Metabolism, University and Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata of Verona, 37126 Verona, Italy
Giuseppina Patti
Department of Pediatrics, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, University of Genova, 16128 Genova, Italy
Barbara Predieri
Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences of the Mother, Children and Adults, Pediatric Unit, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Largo del Pozzo, 71, 41124 Modena, Italy
Mariacarolina Salerno
Pediatric Endocrinology Unit, Department of Translational Medical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy
Stefano Stagi
Health Sciences Department, University of Florence and Meyer Children’s Hospital IRCCS, 50139 Florence, Italy
Maria Elisabeth Street
Unit of Paediatrics, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Via Gramsci, 14, 43126 Parma, Italy
Giuliana Valerio
Department of Movement Sciences and Wellbeing, University of Napoli “Parthenope”, 80133 Napoli, Italy
Domenico Corica
Division of Pediatrics, Department of Human Pathology of Adulthood and Childhood, University of Messina, 98121 Messina, Italy
Valeria Calcaterra
Department of Pediatrics, “Vittore Buzzi” Children’s Hospital, 20157 Milano, Italy
Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is defined by a cluster of several cardio-metabolic risk factors, specifically visceral obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and impaired glucose metabolism, which together increase risks of developing future cardiovascular disease (CVD) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D). This article is a narrative review of the literature and a summary of the main observations, conclusions, and perspectives raised in the literature and the study projects of the Working Group of Childhood Obesity (WGChO) of the Italian Society of Paediatric Endocrinology and Diabetology (ISPED) on MetS in childhood obesity. Although there is an agreement on the distinctive features of MetS, no international diagnostic criteria in a pediatric population exist. Moreover, to date, the prevalence of MetS in childhood is not certain and thus the true value of diagnosis of MetS in youth as well as its clinical implications, is unclear. The aim of this narrative review is to summarize the pathogenesis and current role of MetS in children and adolescents with particular reference to applicability in clinical practice in childhood obesity.
