Evidence mapPaperPMID 40895688Full record

ReviewCureus2025

Role of Serum Magnesium Deficiency in Insulin Resistance Among Overweight and Obese Children: A Meta-Analysis.

Yashar Mashayekhi, Aneesh N Jadhav, Minahil Sarfraz, Harmain Sachwani, Mujadad A Khan, Saher Sultan, Mahek Thorani, Mahwish Ashraf, Imtiaz Mustafa, Ahmad Yar

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Cureus, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Yashar MashayekhiMedicine, Leicester University Hospital, Leicester, GBR.
Aneesh N JadhavPediatrics, Dr BR Ambedkar Hospital, Mumbai, IND.
Minahil SarfrazEndocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Allama Iqbal Medical College, Lahore, PAK.
Harmain SachwaniNephrology, Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation, Karachi, PAK.
Mujadad A KhanInternal Medicine, University Hospitals Birmingham, Birmingham, GBR.
Saher SultanCommunity and Preventive Dentistry, National University of Medical Sciences, Rawalpindi, PAK.
Mahek ThoraniInternal Medicine, People's University of Medical and Health Sciences Nawabshah, Karachi, PAK.
Mahwish AshrafDiabetes and Endocrinology, Wah Medical College, Lahore, PAK.
Imtiaz MustafaInstitute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology/Center for Research in Molecular Medicine, The University of Lahore, Lahore, PAK.
Ahmad YarPediatrics, The Children's Hospital, Lahore, PAK.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Magnesium is an essential micronutrient that plays a critical role in insulin signaling, glucose metabolism, and energy balance. With the growing global burden of childhood obesity and metabolic dysfunction, serum magnesium deficiency has emerged as a potential modifiable factor in the development of insulin resistance. This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the association between serum magnesium levels and insulin resistance among overweight and obese children. A comprehensive search of electronic databases and clinical trial registries was conducted for studies published between 2011 and 2025. Following rigorous screening and eligibility assessment, seven studies comprising a total of 960 children were included in the final analysis. Across the selected studies, serum magnesium deficiency was significantly associated with both obesity and insulin resistance. For obesity-related outcomes, the pooled odds ratio (OR) was 2.82 (95% CI: 1.99-3.95, p < 0.00001), with study-specific ORs ranging from 2.60 to 2.95. For insulin resistance, the pooled OR was 2.91 (95% CI: 2.10-4.04, p < 0.00001), with individual study ORs ranging from 2.60 to 3.25, all with p-values < 0.001. Heterogeneity across studies was low to moderate (I² = 32%, χ² = 8.82, df = 6, p = 0.18), indicating consistency in outcomes. These findings provide strong evidence that low serum magnesium levels are significantly associated with both obesity and insulin resistance in pediatric populations. Magnesium deficiency may act as both a biomarker and a contributing factor to early metabolic disturbances. Given its potential reversibility, early detection and dietary or supplemental correction of magnesium deficiency could be a valuable strategy in preventing or mitigating insulin resistance in overweight and obese children.

Indexed as

childhood obesityhoma-irinsulin resistancemetabolic syndromeserum magnesium

Identifiers

PMID40895688
PMCPMC12393874

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.