Background: Childhood obesity has been accompanied by an increase in the prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and metabolic syndrome (MetS) among children and adolescents worldwide.
Objective: To determine the prevalence of T2DM and MetS among overweight children and adolescents in Khon Kaen province, Northeast Thailand.
Material and method: A cross-sectional, prospective pilot study was performed in school children between 10 and 15 years of age. The weight and height measurements and body mass index (BMI) calculations for 2156 school children were analyzed. The BMI for the age and sex value at > or = 85th percentile was considered overweight and the overweight children were evaluated for family history of diabetes, signs of insulin resistance, plasma fasting glucose and lipid level.
Results: Five hundred and ninety four (27.6%) overweight children were identified, of whom 186 (31.3%) participated in the present study. T2DM was documented in 4 (2.2%) while MetS was documented in 6 (3.2%) children. At least one type of dyslipidemia was found in 87 (46.8%) children.
Conclusion: T2DM and MetS are common among overweight school children in Khon Kaen, Thailand Preventive interventions to reduce overweight and consequently prevent T2DM in Thai children should be provided at school and the community level.