Fatty acids play a crucial role in obesity development and in the comorbidities of obesity in both adults and children. This study aimed to assess the impact of circulating fatty acids on biomarkers of metabolic health of adolescents living with obesity. Parameters such as blood lipids, redox status, and leukocyte telomere length (rLTL) were measured alongside the proportions of individual fatty acids. The Mann–Whitney U test revealed that individuals with obesity exhibited an unfavorable lipid and redox status compared to the control normal weight group. The group with obesity also had lower plasma n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and a higher ratio of n-6 to n-3 PUFAs than the control group. They also had a shorter rLTL, indicating accelerated biological aging. There was an inverse association of rLTL and plasma n-6-to-n-3 PUFA ratio. Future studies should explore the impact of recommended nutrition plans and increased physical activity on these parameters to determine if these interventions can enhance the health and well-being of adolescents with obesity, knowing that early obesity can track into adulthood.

Objectives: This study aims to show the distribution of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) rs1799752 (I>D) gene insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism and angiotensin II receptor type 1 (AGTR1) rs5186 (A>C) gene polymorphism in adolescents with hypertension (HT) and type 1 diabetes (T1D), as well as its association with hypertension and the diurnal variation of mean blood pressure (dipping phenomenon). Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 118 adolescents diagnosed with T1D who underwent clinical and laboratory investigations, genetic analyses, and 24 h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring. The genotype frequencies were compared between adolescents with HT and those with normal blood pressure. Additionally, the genotype frequencies were compared between dippers and non-dippers. Results: Patients with HT were more likely to be female and exhibited significantly poorer glycemic control and higher triglycerides, along with increased body mass index and daily insulin dosage. The prevalence of ACE rs1799752 genotypes in the hypertensive group was 20% II, 66.7% ID, and 13.3% DD, which did not significantly differ from the normal blood pressure group with 29.1% II, 53.4% ID, and 17.5% DD (p = 0.625). The prevalence of AGTR1 rs5186 genotypes in the hypertensive group was 53.3% AC, 40% AA, and 6.7% CC, which also did not significantly differ from the normal blood pressure group with 39.8% AC, 52.4% AA, and 7.8% CC (p = 0.608). A total of 46% of the patients exhibited non-dipping phenomena. The prevalence of non-dippers among the ACE genotypes was 13% DD, 33.3% II, and 53.7% ID (p = 0.369), while for the AGTR1 genotypes, it was 50% AA, 42.6% AC, and 7.4% CC (p = 0.976). Conclusions: Our results indicate that in our adolescents with T1D, clinical and metabolic factors such as higher body mass index, triglycerides, suboptimal glycemic control, and female gender are more indicative of the development of hypertension than ACE and AGTR1 gene polymorphisms. A potential reason for this finding could be the young age of the patients or the relatively small size of the study group. Future research involving larger sample sizes is needed to further investigate the genetic predisposition for the development of hypertension.

Prediabetes is characterized by isolated impaired fasting glucose (IFG), isolated impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), and combined IFG/IGT. This study aimed to establish the prevalence of prediabetes and examine possible contributory factors in a cohort of obese adolescents. In this prospective study, we recruited 85 obese patients from the Obesity Clinic at the University Children's Hospital and 17 normal weight controls. All patients were of Caucasian origin, 60 males/42 females, aged 7.4-18.3 years, with at least Tanner 2 stage of puberty. Depending on criteria we used, insulin resistance was confirmed in 62-100% of obese patients, predominantly in the group with BMI SDS > 3. oGTT revealed isolated impaired fasting glucose (IFG) in 13.9%, impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) in 20.8% and combined IFG and IGT only in 2.8% of the obese patients. Patients in the prediabetes group were older (14±2.4 vs 12.8±2.5 p=0.04) and had higher glucose levels (p<0.001) during the whole oGTT compared to normal glucose tolerance (NGT) group. There was no difference between groups in respect to family history, BMI, lipids and fasting insulin. Insulinogenic index, WBISI and HOMA%B were significantly lower in the prediabetes group compared to the NGT group (p=0.07, 0.01 and 0.04 respectively). HbA1c level was measured in 58% of patients and was significantly higher in the prediabetes group (5.4±0.3 vs 5.7±0.4, p=0.002). Prediabetes occurrence was fairly high in our obese adolescents. Further studies should establish what would be the most appropriate screening test to diagnose these patients at risk for type 2 diabetes and initiate treatment without delay.

Aim: To identify the determinants of self‐reported health‐related quality of life in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus during the coronavirus pandemic.Design: A cross‐sectional study.Methods: The study sample included 182 children and adolescents who had been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes mellitus at least 3 months prior. Data collection instruments included sociodemographic and glycaemic control protocol adherence questionnaires, documentation sheet for recording clinical data, and Serbian versions of the EuroQol‐5D‐Y and KidScreen27 questionnaires, which were used to assess health‐related quality of life.Results: Glycaemic control adherence, presence of comorbidities, level of metabolic control, and type of insulin therapy were identified as key determinants of self‐reported health‐related quality of life.Patient or Public Contribution: No patient or public contributions.

Screening for diabetes-specific distress should be considered a standard component of diabetes management. This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Serbian adaptation of the Problem Areas in Diabetes—Teen Version (PAID-T). Methods: A multicentre, validation, cross-sectional study was conducted with 374 adolescents (aged 13–18 years) diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D), all of whom completed the Serbian version of the PAID-T. The psychometric evaluation included assessments of construct validity through exploratory (EFA, first subsample, n = 140) and confirmatory (CFA, second subsample, n = 234) factor analyses, as well as examinations of concurrent and convergent validity. Reliability was evaluated using measures of internal consistency and test–retest stability (n = 289). Results: Factor analyses indicated some multidimensionality; however, the high correlations between factors in the three-factor model and the optimal fit of the hierarchical three-factor model with a single second-order factor supported the interpretation that the PAID-T measures a unified construct, with satisfactory fit indices (CFI = 0.95; TLI = 0.93; RMSEA = 0.08; SRMR = 0.05). Concurrent validity testing demonstrated gender-based differences in adolescents’ perceptions of the emotional burden of diabetes (W = 19.718, p = 0.03, small effect size = 0.11). Convergent validity analyses showed that adolescents who were non-adherent to treatment (W = 11.390, p = 0.01, small effect size = 0.13) or experienced difficulties managing diabetes at school (W = 16.333, p < 0.001, small effect size = 0.16) reported significantly higher levels of diabetes-specific distress. A significant negative correlation was also observed between PAID-T scores and perceived social support (ρ = −0.24, p < 0.001). Importantly, Serbian adolescents with T1D reported mean PAID-T scores close to the cutoff point of 44, indicating clinically relevant levels of distress. The Serbian version demonstrated strong internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.92; McDonald’s ω = 0.93) and excellent test–retest reliability (ICC = 0.99, 95% CI), confirming stability over time. Conclusions: The Serbian adaptation of the PAID-T demonstrated strong validity and reliability, supporting its use as a robust tool for assessing self-reported diabetes-specific distress in adolescents. Notably, the mean PAID-T scores in Serbian adolescents with T1D were close to the established cutoff point of 44, underscoring the clinical relevance of routine screening in this population. The early identification of diabetes distress can enable nurses and other members of the multidisciplinary healthcare team to deliver tailored interventions, ultimately improving psychological well-being and health outcomes.