Obesity in adolescents from urban and rural areas – a comparison of physical fitness and markers of inflammation

E. Gajewska, G. Kalmus, B. Buraczyńska-Andrzejewska, M. Sobieska

Department of Rheumatology and Rehabilitation, University of Medical Sciences Poznan, Poland. ewagajewska1011@gmail.com

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• Metabolism

OBJECTIVES: Obesity entails serious health consequences associated with the development of inflammation in the body and it has an impact on physical fitness. Obesity is not only related to the development of inflammation in the body, but it is a condition involving the production of proinflammatory cytokines. Aim of this paper was the comparison of parameters of physical fitness and inflammatory condition in overweight and obese adolescents from urban and rural areas.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study involved 113 children aged from 12 to 18 who were overweight or obese (mean body weight 89.32 ± 17.69, height 168.6 ± 9.82, BMI 31.27 ± 4.38 BMI). Physical fitness was measured using the Eurofit test, while concentrations and profiles of the glycosylation of the acute phase proteins was investigated by means of electrophoretic methods.

RESULTS: The study demonstrated inferior results of fitness tests and the presence of features of inflammation in adolescents in both age groups, compared with their peers who had no problems with overweight or obesity. Boys from the younger group have a higher BMI and poorer Eurofit test results than their urban counterparts. Boys from rural areas show markers of acute inflammation, correlating with worse results of endurance, explosive power and speed tests.

CONCLUSIONS: Young people from rural areas are more at risk of metabolic consequences of obesity than their peers from urban areas, due to poorer fitness and already visible markers of inflammation.

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