High plasma homocysteine increases risk of metabolic syndrome in 6 to 8 year old children in rural Nepal

Nutrients. 2014 Apr 21;6(4):1649-61. doi: 10.3390/nu6041649.

Abstract

Little attention has been given to the association of plasma homocysteine (Hcy) and metabolic syndrome (MetS) in children. We have evaluated the risk of MetS with plasma Hcy in a cohort of 6 to 8 year old rural Nepalese children, born to mothers who had participated in an antenatal micronutrient supplementation trial. We assessed Hcy in plasma from a random selection of n = 1000 children and determined the relationship of elevated Hcy (>12.0 μmol/L) to MetS (defined as the presence of any three of the following: abdominal adiposity (waist circumference ≥ 85th percentile of the study population), high plasma glucose (≥ 85th percentile), high systolic or diastolic blood pressure (≥ 90th percentile of reference population), triglyceride ≥ 1.7 mmol/L and high density lipoprotein < 0.9 mmol/L.) and its components. There was an increased risk of low high-density lipoproteins (HDL), [odds ratios (OR) = 1.77, 95% confidence intervals (CI) = 1.08-2.88; p = 0.020], high blood pressure [OR = 1.60, 95% CI = 1.10-2.46; p = 0.015] and high body mass index (BMI) [OR = 1.98, 95% CI = 1.33-2.96; p = 0.001] with elevated Hcy. We observed an increased risk of MetS (OR = 1.75, 95% CI = 1.06-2.90; p = 0.029) with elevated Hcy in age and gender-adjusted logistic regression models. High plasma Hcy is associated with increased risk of MetS and may have implications for chronic disease later in life.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Biomarkers / blood
  • Blood Pressure
  • Body Mass Index
  • Child
  • Cholesterol, HDL / blood
  • Cholesterol, LDL / blood
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Homocysteine / blood*
  • Humans
  • Hyperhomocysteinemia / complications
  • Logistic Models
  • Male
  • Metabolic Syndrome / blood*
  • Metabolic Syndrome / epidemiology*
  • Metabolic Syndrome / etiology
  • Nepal / epidemiology
  • Obesity, Abdominal / blood
  • Prevalence
  • Risk Factors
  • Rural Population*
  • Triglycerides / blood
  • Waist Circumference

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • Cholesterol, HDL
  • Cholesterol, LDL
  • Triglycerides
  • Homocysteine