Metabolic syndrome in obese adolescents: a comparison of three different diagnostic criteria.

Objective: To investigate the difference in the proportion of adolescents with metabolic syndrome diagnosed based on three different criteria, as well as the use of insulin resistance instead of fasting glucose.

Methods: Cross-sectional study with 121 obese adolescents, between 10 and 14 years old, from public schools of the city of Porto Alegre, Brazil, in 2011. Anthropometric, blood pressure, and biochemical variables were assessed.