P-171: Visceral adiposity index and metabolic control in children and adolescents treated at a referral center in Rio de Janeiro
B Araujo, R Spinelli, G Dias, R Tiberio, J Luescher, P Padilha, Núcleo de Estudos em Nutrição e PediatriaAbstract
Introduction
Overweight and obesity in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D) may impair glycemic control and increase cardiometabolic risk. The visceral adiposity index (VAI) has emerged as a marker of central adiposity and metabolic dysfunction.
Objectives
To evaluate the association between visceral adiposity index and metabolic control in children and adolescents with T1D.
Methods
This cross-sectional study included 143 children and adolescents aged 7–16 years with a diagnosis of T1D for at least one year, followed at the Diabetes Outpatient Clinic at a referral center in Rio de Janeiro. Sociodemographic, clinical, anthropometric, and laboratory data collected between 2020 and 2023 were analyzed. Metabolic control was assessed using glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), categorized into tertiles. The VAI was calculated using anthropometric and lipid profile parameters, according to sex-specific equations. Associations between VAI and glycemic control were assessed using multinomial logistic regression adjusted for age, sex, physical activity, fiber intake, and duration of diabetes.
Results
Approximately one-third of the sample was overweight. A trend toward higher BMI values was observed among participants with poorer glycemic control (p=0.065). Female participants presented worse metabolic control compared with males (p=0.023). Higher VAI values were significantly associated with inadequate glycemic control, with increased odds of elevated HbA1c levels among participants with higher VAI (OR: 1.62; 95% CI: 1.10–2.61; p=0.046).
Conclusions
Greater visceral adiposity was associated with poorer metabolic control in children and adolescents with T1D, particularly among females. These findings reinforce the importance of incorporating adiposity markers beyond BMI into clinical practice to improve early identification of cardiometabolic risk and support more individualized care strategies in this population.