A PROFILE OF PLASMA CONCENTRATION OF ADIPONECTIN IN PRIMARY SCHOOL CHILDREN IN DERA ISMAIL KHAN

Objective: The objective of the present study was to determine the plasma Adiponectin concentration in primary school children 6-11 years and to evaluate negative association of Adiponectin in obese children. Methodology: This cross sectional study was carried out in the Department of Chemistry, Gomal University, Dera Ismail Khan from June 2007 to August 2010. A total number of 1336 primary school children were examined in the Municipality area of Dera Ismail Khan and excluding those suffering from chronic health problems. Height (m), weight (kg) of each child was taken and BMI was calculated according to Quatelet’s Index. Body mass Status was also calculated through CDCs׳ Growth Charts 2002, 2-20years for children to have percentile for each school child. School children with ≥5th percentile were declared normal weight and the ones having ≥95th percentile as obese. 83 school children were randomly selected among 1336 children with 23 (27.71%) normal weight and 60 (72.28%) as obese ones. Gender wise distribution of the sample was 48 (57.83%) boys and 35 (42.16%) as girls. Fasting plasma adiponectin concentration was determined by ELIZA method. Results: Mean plasma adiponectin concentration in normal weight children was noted as 21.38μg/ml (P = 0.013) and 20.89μg/ml (P = 0.011) in boys and girls respectively. The observed, mean plasma adiponectin level in obese children was 20.38μg/ml (P =0.0130) and 25.56μg/ml (P = 0.0016) in boys and girls respectively. Conclusion: Significant difference in plasma adiponectin concentration was observed between normal weight and obese girls