Background and objective: Being born as large for gestational age (LGA) has an increased risk of developing insulin resistance. Hypoadiponectinaemia is associated with insulin resistance. The aim of this study was to evaluate adiponectin levels and insulin resistance in association with body composition in LGA born non-obese children at prepubertal ages.
Patients and methods: Thirty-five (17 female and 18 male) LGA born non-obese children (mean age 4.8 +/- 0.3 years) were evaluated with respect to glucose, insulin, IGFBP-1, leptin, adiponectin levels and body composition by DEXA. Their data were compared to that of non-obese 49 (20 female, 29 male) appropriate for gestational age (AGA) children (mean age 3.8 +/- 0.1 year).
Results: LGA children, who had similar body mass index standard deviation scores (BMI SDS) as AGA children, had significantly higher insulin (P = 0.043) and statistically borderline significant homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) levels (P = 0.054) than those of AGA children. Adiponectin levels were significantly lower in LGA than AGA children (P = 0.004) even after controlling for age, sex and BMI (P = 0.016). IGFBP-1, leptin levels and body composition did not show a difference. When the LGA group was divided into subgroups according to birth weight, the analysis revealed that after controlling for BMI, being an LGA and having a higher birth weight in the upper half were associated with lower adiponectin levels (estimated marginal means of logarithmic adiponectin levels 2.6 +/- 0.2 vs. 2.1 +/- 0.2 microg/ml, P = 0.042).
Conclusion: LGA children have higher insulin and lower adiponectin levels than AGA children in spite of similar BMI. Adiponectin is a better indicator of insulin resistance in LGA children at prepubertal ages and is affected by birth weight.