Insulin resistance in school-aged girls with overweight and obesity is strongly associated with elevated white blood cell count and absolute neutrophil count

BACKGROUND: The primary objective of the study was to discuss the sex differences in insulin resistance-induced changes in metabolic and inflammatory markers in school-aged children with overweight and obesity. METHODS: A cross-sectional study of 800 children aged seven and twelve years was performed. Questionnaires, anthropometric data and fasting blood samples were collected. RESULTS: Children with overweight and obesity showed statistically significant differences in multiple metabolic and inflammatory markers compared with children with normal BMI. The correlation coefficient (r) between white blood cell count, absolute neutrophil count, fasting plasma insulin, HOMA-IR, HOMA-β, triglyceride, HDL-C, triglyceride/HDL ratio, alanine transaminase, serum uric acid, systolic blood pressure and BMI were higher in all children, but the linear relationships between white blood cell count, absolute neutrophil count and BMI were stronger in girls with overweight and obesity than in boys with overweight and obesity. Subsequently, HOMA-IR was shown to be more strongly associated with increased white blood cell count and absolute neutrophil count in school-aged girls with overweight and obesity by partial correlation analysis and the multiple linear regression analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated white blood cell count and absolute neutrophil count in children with overweight and obesity, especially girls, can serve as markers of insulin resistance.