ORIGINAL ARTICLES   

Minerva Pediatrica 2010 October;62(5):425-30

Copyright © 2010 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: Italian

A pilot study on adolescents of both sexes. Correlation between phenotype, athletic performances and family history to type 2 diabetes

Pomara F. ¹, Grosso F. ², Basile D. ³, Polizzi V. ³, Marcianò C. ³, Adamo V. ², De Vita A. ², Petrucci M. ³ ✉

¹ Medeor Poliambulatorio, Palermo, Italia; ² Federazione Medico Sportiva Italiana – A.M.S. Trapani “Girolamo Mercuriale”, Trapani, Italia; ³ Centro Studi e Ricerche del Centro Universitario Sportivo, Palermo, Italia

The authors have studied the influence of family history of type 2 diabetes on the physical phenotype of 47 health adolescents. In both sexes groups with positive family history (FH+) had the highest values of stature and body weight (P<0.05 for males, not significant for females), waist circumference (P<0.05 for males, not significant for females), and wrist circumference (P=0.05 for males, not significant for females). Considering athletic performance, FH+ males showed a significant higher performance in power exercises than FH- males; no significant differences were found between FH+ and FH- female groups. The study confirms that family history of type 2 diabetes can induce in both sexes precocious phenotype and athletic performances linked-related variations; larger studies are necessary to confirm these data and to verify preventive interventions promoting significant life-style changes.