Children in Zakho City with Normal Weight or Obesity and Their Serum Magnesium Levels

Abstract

Backgrounds: Obesity among children is a global health issue, with a significant increase in prevalence over the past three decades. Over 379 million children and adolescents globally are overweight or obese. Magnesium is fourth among the most abundant cations after calcium, sodium, and potassium. Magnesium is essential for biological functions. It can lead to deadly outcomes such as vasospasm of cardiac arteries, arrhythmias, and even unexpected death. Methodology: A cross-sectional case-control research design was used to evaluate data from 100 children 50 boys, and 50 girls, aged 2-14 years at Zakho General Hospital in Iraq. The sample was obtained between April 1st, 2022, and April 1st, 2023. Demographic data, blood collection, and anthropometric measurements were used. Serum magnesium levels were measured and body mass index (BMI) was calculated. Ethical approval was obtained from the College of Medicine/University of Zakho. Statistical analysis included Chi-square and independent t-tests. Results: The study found that the majority of obese children are 5-10 years old, with males dominating.  The mean serum magnesium level for all participants was 2.082 ±0.190 mg/dl which is a bit higher in the obese than normal-weight children with no significant difference. Conclusion: The serum magnesium level is not significantly related to body weight in children. Further studies are recommended focusing on the dietary intake and physical activity that are the main confounders for this association.