serum apelin levels in obese children and adolscets and its relation to cardiac function and lipid profile
Overweight and obesity are common problems all over the world. Overweight is defined as a Body mass index (BMI) ranged from the 85th percentile to < the 95th percentile for children of the same age and sex. While in obesity BMI is at or above the 95th percentile for children of the same age and sex (CDC, 2010). Results from the 2007-2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) in USA, indicated that 17 % of children and adolescents between 2-19 years are obese (Ogden et al., 2008). Obese children and adolescents are more likely to become obese as adults. Approximately 80% of children who were overweight at age 10–15 years become obese adults at age 25 years (Lang et al., 2011). In Egypt, Salazar et al., (2006) found that prevalence of overweight and obesity is 12.1 and 6.2%, respectively, among Egyptian adolescents and they recorded that 7% of boys and 18% of girls were overweight and 6% of boys and 8% of girls were obese.