Insulin Resistance as Related to Psychiatric Disorders in Obese Children

Objective: The current study aimed to investigate psychiatric consequences of obesity and the relationship between componenets of the metabolic syndrome and psychiatric disorders in children. Our second aim was to elucidate which of the anthropometric parameters or metabolic components were most strongly associated with psychiatric disorders.

Methods: The study included 88 obese and overweight children with a body mass index (BMI) greater than 85th percentile. The patients were evaluated for psychiatric disorders by a single child and adolescent psychiatrist. Forty patients diagnosed with psychiatric disorders and 48 patients with normal psychiatric evaluation were compared in terms of anthropometric and metabolic parameters. BMI, BMI-standard deviation score and BMI percentile, waist circumference, waist to hip ratio, blood pressure and pubertal stage of all patients were recorded. Fasting serum glucose, insulin, lipid profile and homeostatic model assessments of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) were measured to evaluate the metabolic parameters. Serum and 24 hour urine cortisol levels were measured.

Results: HOMA-IR in the group with psychiatric disorders was found to be significantly higher than in the group without psychiatric disorders (6.59±3.36 vs 5.21±2.67; p=0.035). Other anthropometric measurements and metabolic parameters were not significantly different between the two groups.

Conclusion: An understanding of the relationships between obesity related medical comorbidities and psychiatric pathologies is important to encourage patients and their families to make successful healthy lifestyle changes and for weight management in terms of appropriate treatment.