High-sensitivity C-reactive protein is a predictive factor of adiposity in children: results of the identification and prevention of dietary- and lifestyle-induced health effects in children and infants (IDEFICS) study.

Background: Whereas cross-sectional studies have shown that obesity is associated with increased C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in children, little is known about the impact of low-grade inflammation on body mass changes during growth.

Methods And Results: We assessed cross-sectionally and longitudinally the association of high-sensitivity (hs)-CRP levels with overweight/obesity and related cardiometabolic risk factors in the Identification and prevention of Dietary- and lifestyle-induced health Effects in Children and InfantS (IDEFICS) cohort. 16 224 children from 8 European countries (2 to 9 years) were recruited during the baseline survey (T0).