Assessment of Blood Glucose Trends in Children and Adolescents with Obesity

Abstract

This retrospective descriptive study aimed to determine the prevalence of abnormal blood glucose levels, examine the relationships between demographic factors, body mass index, and blood glucose levels, and analyze changes in these parameters over time among children and adolescents with obesity. The sample comprised 215 medical records of patients aged 5–18 years who were diagnosed with obesity and attended the Pediatric Clinic at Phranangklao Hospital between January 1, 2021, and December 31, 2025. All eligible medical records were included using total population sampling. Data were collected using a data-recording form whose quality was evaluated by experts. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation coefficient, and the paired t-test.

The results showed that the participants had a mean age of 12.8 years and a mean body mass index of 32.7 kg/m². The prevalence of impaired fasting glucose (IFG) was 19.5% (95% CI: 14.2–24.8), while 2.3% met the diagnostic criteria for type 2 diabetes mellitus (95% CI: 0.3–4.3). Age and body mass index were significantly positively correlated with fasting plasma glucose levels (p < 0.001). Among participants with long-term follow-up data (n = 58), the mean body mass index and fasting plasma glucose levels increased significantly over time (p < 0.05).

In conclusion, children and adolescents with obesity are at increased risk of prediabetes, with metabolic abnormalities tending to worsen over time. Therefore, a continuous system for screening and monitoring metabolic complications should be implemented to prevent progression to diabetes mellitus in the future.