Determination of glycemia and insulinemia and the homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) in schoolchildren and adolescents with normal body mass index

Objective: To determine fasting glycemia and insulinemia levels and the HOMA index in a group of children and adolescents with normal body mass index (BMI). Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted at two public schools in Ribeirao Preto, SP, Brazil. A total of 447 children and adolescents of both sexes, with normal BMI, aged 7 to 17.9 years and of average maturity for their age, underwent anthropometric measurements and provided personal data and a sample of venous blood so that glycemia, insulinemia and HOMA index could be determined. The results obtained for boys and girls were compared for each age range using the Mann-Whitney test. The results within each age band were then compared for boys and girls using the Kruskal-Wallis test. Results: Glycemia results varied from 7 to 8.9 years (p = 0.0005). Fasting insulinemia varied significantly with age in both sexes (p < 0.001), with the highest values observed among children aged 13 to 14.9 years. HOMA indices varied significantly with age in both boys and girls (p < 0.001), with values that increased progressively up to the age band of 13 and 14.9 years. Conclusions: These data demonstrate the necessity of establishing reference curves for these three indicators.