The current study aimed to investigate the relationship between serum betatrophin levels and metabolic and anthropometric parameters in obese children.

The study included 40 obese children with a body mass index (BMI) above 95th centile, and 35 non-obese subjects with a BMI 3–85th centile, whose age and gender were similar to those of the patient group. Fasting serum glucose, insulin, lipid profile, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, serum betatrophin, and leptin levels were measured to evaluate the metabolic parameters. Total cholesterol:high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol:high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratios were calculated as “atherogenic indices”.

Serum betatrophin levels of the obese subjects were significantly lower than that of non-obese subjects (p < 0.05). Insulin resistant subjects had significantly lower betatrophin concentrations than those of non-insulin resistant subjects (p < 0.05). Betatrophin levels were negatively correlated with the fasting serum insulin and, accordingly insulin resistance index.

Serum betatrophin levels are lower in obese and insulin resistant subjects and betatrophin might act as a potential biomarker of insulin resistance in obese children or adolescents.