Pediatric obesity is a risk factor for the onset of obesity in adulthood and is a risk factor for various chronic non-communicable diseases. Metabolic syndrome (MS) is the name for a group of risk factors that increase cardiovascular risk and other health problems characterized by the presence of abdominal obesity, dyslipidemia, hyperglycaemia and high blood pressure. Numerous preclinical and clinical data suggest a potential role of the intestinal microbiota in these diseaes. Unfortunately, comparative studies of the gut microbiota are still scarce in pediatric subjects suffering from obesity than obesity complicated by MS. The aim is to study the metagenomics and metabolomics characteristics of the intestinal microbiota in obese children/adolescents with or without MS, that could provide useful data for innovative intervention strategies for these conditions.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Subjects aged between 10-16 years,
• diagnosis of obesity or obesity complicated by metabolic syndrome
• healthy controls

Exclusion Criteria:

• Age at enrollment < 10 or >16 years,
• concomitant presence of chronic diseases,
• neoplasms,
• immunodeficiencies,
• chronic infections,
• autoimmune diseases,
• chronic inflammatory bowel diseases,
• celiac disease, -genetic-metabolic diseases, -
• cystic fibrosis
• chronic lung diseases,
• malformations of the cardiovascular/respiratory/gastrointestinal system,
• neuropsychiatric disorders
• neurological pathologies,
• assumption of antibiotics and/or pre/pro/synbiotics
• onset of diarrhea or acute gastrointestinal disease during the 12 weeks prior to enrollment.

Children/adolescents of both sexes, aged between 10-16 years, with obesity, obesity complicated by metabolic syndrome and healthy controls observed at Pediatrics Section of Department of Translational Medical Sciences (University of Naples Federico II)