Assessment of copper and lipid profile in obese children and adolescents

The aim of this study was to assess erythrocyte and plasma copper concentrations and correlate them with the lipid profile of overweight and obese children and adolescents. The study was performed with 15 overweight and 30 obese children and adolescents, and the results were compared to the control group (21), aged 6-16 yr. Anthropometric assessment was carried out using body mass index (BMI). Total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, and triglyceride serum levels were investigated. Erythrocyte and plasma copper levels were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Greater alterations in the lipid profile were observed in HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, and triglyceride levels, with distinctions according to gender. The plasma copper concentrations in the overweight and obese male groups were significantly higher than those in the control group (p = 0.0006). Negative correlations between plasma copper and total cholesterol (r = -0.54) and LDL cholesterol (r = -0.59) were observed in the obese male group. There was no statistical difference in copper erythrocyte concentrations. The obesity associated to disorders in lipid metabolism predisposes to changes in copper plasma concentrations, but there was no alteration in intracellular reserves, which suggests an important homeostatic control to compensate for plasma oscillations and metabolic alterations of the disease.