The effect of impaired glucose metabolism on weight loss in multidisciplinary childhood obesity treatment.

Objective: To investigate whether children and adolescents exhibiting an impaired glucose metabolism are more obese at treatment entry and less likely to reduce their degree of obesity during treatment. Methods: The present study is a longitudinal observational study, including children and adolescents from the Children's Obesity Clinic, Holbæk, Denmark. Anthropometrics, pubertal development, socioeconomic status (SES), and fasting concentrations of plasma glucose, serum insulin, serum C‐peptide, and whole blood glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) were collected at treatment entry and at follow‐up. Proxies of Homeostasis Model Assessment 2‐insulin sensitivity (HOMA2‐IS) and Homeostasis Model Assessment 2‐β‐cell function (HOMA2‐B) were calculated with the Homeostasis Model Assessment 2 program. Results: In total, 569 (333 boys) patients, median 11.5 years of age (range 6‐22 years), and median body mass index (BMI) z‐score 2.94 (range 1.34‐5.54) were included. The mean BMI z‐score reduction was 0.31 (±0.46) after 13 months (range 6‐18) of treatment. At treatment entry, patients with impaired estimates of glucose metabolism were more obese than normoglycemic patients. Baseline concentration of C‐peptide was associated with a lower weight loss during treatment in girls (<italic>P</italic> = .02). Reduction in the insulin concentrations was associated with reduction in BMI z‐score in both sexes (<italic>P</italic> < .0001, <italic>P</italic> = .0005). During treatment, values of glucose, HbA1c, HOMA2‐IS, and HOMA2‐B did not change or impact the treatment outcome, regardless of age, sex, SES, or degree of obesity at treatment entry. Conclusion: The capability to reduce weight during multidisciplinary treatment in children and adolescents with overweight/obesity is not influenced by an impaired glucose metabolism at study entry or during the course of treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]