ESPE Abstracts

Background: Childhood period is associated with growth accompanied by rapid change of body composition. Excessive fat gain and followed increased insulin resistance is an obstacle in controlling blood sugar for type 1 diabetic patients.

Objective and hypotheses: This study was designed to understand the gender difference in the patterns of body composition change along the growth process of newly diagnosed type I diabetic children and adolescents.

Method: Ten type I diabetic boys (median age 12.3±3.5 years at diagnosis) and 13 girls (median age 12.3±3.3 years at diagnosis) were included in the study. The median follow-up period was 3.2±2.3 and 2.2±2.1 years, respectively. Height, weight, body compartment of fat mass and fat free mass were measured in minimum 6 month to maximum 12 months interval in each patient. We also checked glucose, blood chemistry and HbA1c to monitor glucose control. BMI, fat mass index (FMI), fat free mass index (FFMI) and percent body fat (PBF) were calculated and coordinate of each component was plotted on the body composition chart and traced during follow up period.

Results: BMI increased as the children aged in both genders (male 1.7±1.8 kg/m² and female 2.1±2.3 kg/m², respectively) but no significant difference in BMI Z-scores was observed. The body composition chart showed that the fraction of FMI increment contributing to BMI increase was higher in girls while that of the FFMI was higher in boys.

Conclusion: The juvenile body composition change of type 1 diabetic patients progressed differently by gender. Evaluation of body compositional change using body composition chart in pediatric type 1 diabetic patients may be a useful method for the monitoring of diabetes control and promote adequate growth.