A recent retrospective observational study conducted at the 'Louis Ţurcanu' Children's Hospital in Timişoara analyzed 800 obese patients aged between 0 and 18 over a decade, from January 2013 to December 2023.

The research focused on the relationship between birth characteristics, weaning practices, and the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) among these obese children.

Participants were categorized based on their gestational age into three groups: small for gestational age (SGA), appropriate for gestational age (AGA), and large for gestational age (LGA).

Interestingly, obese children born SGA were found to be breastfed longer but were weaned at a younger age compared to their peers, which may have implications for their metabolic health.

Among the groups, LGA patients exhibited the highest body mass index (BMI) at 28.4 ± 4.2, along with significant rates of hypertriglyceridemia (29.4%) and arterial hypertension (26.8%).

Logistic regression analysis revealed that SGA patients had a 4.49-fold increased risk of developing MetS, with older age at diagnosis further elevating this risk by 37%.

The study found that the incidence of MetS increased with age, with a mean diagnosis age of 12.6 ± 3.1 years, and insulin resistance was present in 52.3% of the patients.

Results indicated that 39.2% of SGA children developed MetS, with notable incidences of type 2 diabetes (18.2%) and hypercholesterolemia (24.6%).

The findings underscore the necessity of monitoring birth metrics and early feeding practices to help mitigate future metabolic complications in obese children.

Conclusions drawn from the study emphasize that early interventions targeting growth patterns and dietary habits are crucial to combat the rising rates of obesity and its associated health risks.