What is the aim of this study?

It is a common misconception that the issue of childhood obesity can be resolved simply by improving their diet and increasing physical activity. The Leipzig Childhood Obesity Study aims to disprove this notion with a comprehensive and interdisciplinary approach. The aim of the study is to identify previously undiscovered genomic changes that lead to the various manifestations and symptoms (phenotypes) of obesity.

This study should enable an in-depth characterization of the genetic variants and their correlation with clinical phenotypes. The aim is to derive new approaches for the prevention, screening and treatment of obesity.

Who can participate?

We are looking for the followin people:

• Presence of a genetic variant associated with obesity or
• Presence of phenotypic characteristics or other evidence suggesting an unusual form of obesity or dysglycemia
• Rapid weight gain in the first two years of life
• Extreme obesity
• Hyperphagia
• Normal weight of the biological parents
• Additional features or symptoms e.g. short stature, red hair, adrenal insufficiency, hypogonadism or increased susceptibility to infection, persistent recurrent diarrhea, or pituitary insufficiencies such as adrenal insufficiencies, hypothyroidism, hypogonadism or growth hormone deficiency, diabetes insipidus

The following exclusion criteria apply:

• pregnant and/or breastfeeding persons
• Current, clinically significant lung, heart or cancer diseases

What happesn in this study?

The following examinations are carried out:

• Medical history, examination and vital parameters
• Determination of anthropometric data (also in the past) and body composition
• Questionnaires on eating habits, eating behavior and hunger
• Questionnaires on epidemiological factors such as leisure behavior, quality of life, psychosocial situation, living environment
• Blood for analysis of basic metabolic parameters, organ status, other soluble factors and (epi-) genetic factors
• Oral glucose tolerance test to examine glucose and insulin metabolism
• Urine analysis
• Sonography of the carotid artery to measure the intima-media thickness
• Echocardiography
• Long-term blood pressure measurement
• Spiroergometry for the examination of physical resilience
• Liver elastography
• Photo documentation
• Resting basal metabolic rate measurement e.g. using spirometry
• Measurement of energy metabolism, e.g. in a metabolic chamber
• (Functional) MRI measurement of the brain
• Measurement of body composition by BIA or MRI examination
• Measurement of physical activity, e.g. using a fitness tracker