Gastric emptying in normal weight and obese children - an ultrasound study

AIM: To investigate gastric emptying of a mixed solid and liquid meal in no rmal weight and obese children. METHODS: 114 volunteer children of school age (range 6 - 11 y) entered the study. Children were considered as being underweight, normal weight, obese, severely obese according to their body mass index (BMI), and were examined using a non-invasive ultrasound method in the morning after an overnight f ast period. The examination was always performed in an upright position by the same operator. The half-emptying time and fasting antral area were asse ssed, and antral area measurements were performed every 30 min for 240 min after meal administration. RESULTS: Five children (4.4%) were underweight, 53 (46.5%) were normal weig ht, 19 (16.6%) were obese, and 37 (32.5%) were severely obese. The underwei ght group was not considered for the analysis, No significant difference in t(1/2) was found among the three groups. A positive statistically signific ant correlation was found between fasting antral area and BMI (r = 0.44; P < 0.0001) in all children. The fasting antral area value was 3.5 cm(2) (ran ge 1.6 - 8.1) in normal weight children, 3.6 cm(2) (range 1.9 - 7.7) in obe se children, and 3.9 cm(2) (range 1.5 - 10.8) in severely obese children. T here was a significant difference between severely obese and normal weight children (P < 0.05). No significant difference was found in the gastric emp tying between severely obese and obese children, and between severely obese and normal weight ones. CONCLUSION: The difference in fasting antral area in these groups may be co nsidered as an early disturbance. In fact the increased gastric volume coul d cause a change in the sense of satiety with a consequent increase in the intake of these subjects.