Glucose metabolism in children and adolescents: Population-based reference values and comparisons to children and adolescents enrolled in obesity treatment.

Background: Alterations in glucose metabolism that lead to the development of metabolic and cardiovascular disease may begin already in childhood.

Objective: This study aims to generate pediatric age and sex-specific reference values for fasting concentrations of glucose, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), insulin, C-peptide, and homeostasis model assessment: insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) in Danish/North-European white children and adolescents from a population-based cohort and to compare values from children and adolescents with overweight/obesity with this reference.

Methods: The population- and obesity clinic-based cohorts consisted of 2451 and 1935 children and adolescents between 6 and 18 years of age.