Endocrine Abstracts

JOINT416

Background: Adolescent obesity has become a rising global public health issue, affecting not only physical health but also influencing emotional well-being and social development. While obesity is widely recognized as a major health concern, the biological profile of this condition in adolescents remain underexplored. Therefore, it is essential to investigate the biological aspects of obesity in this age group to enhance understanding and improve prevention and management strategies.

Methods: A retrospective analytical study included obese adolescents treated for obesity at the Endocrinology Department of Sfax, Tunisia, between 2019 and 2023. Obesity was defined according to the reference charts of the National Nutrition and Health Program.

Results: The study population consisted of 58 adolescents with a sex ratio of 0.49. The mean age of the patients was 15.4 ± 2 years. Prediabetes was observed in 5 cases (8.6%), while diabetes was found in only 1 case (1.7%). The mean glycated hemoglobin and glucose levels were 5.3% ± 0.5 and 4.6 mmol/l± 0.8, respectively. Hypertriglyceridemia, with a mean of 1.5 mmol/l± 3, was found in 6 cases (10.3%), while hypercholesterolemia occurred in 4 cases (6.9%) with a mean of 4 mmol/l± 0.7. HypoHDLemia was noted in 39 cases (67.2%) with an average of 1.1 mmol/l± 0.3. HyperLDLemia was not observed in any cases, with the mean level being 2.5 mmol/l± 0.6. The mean uric acid level was 311.7 µmol/l± 79.5. We identified a single case of negative Dexamethasone suppression test (1.7%) and 6 cases (10.3%) with elevated TSH levels. The average calcium level was 2.35 mmol/l± 0.12. Sodium and potassium intake averaged 138.8 mmol/l± 2.4 and 4 mmol/l± 0.4, respectively. The mean creatinine level was 49.5 µmol/l± 8.3.

Conclusion: Gaining insight into the biological profile of obesity in adolescents is crucial for designing targeted interventions to combat this escalating public health concern.