Timing of puberty and physical growth in obese children: a longitudinal study in boys and girls. Issue 4 (27th May 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: De Leonibus, C.; Marcovecchio, M. L.; Chiavaroli, V.; de Giorgis, T.; Chiarelli, F.; Mohn, A.
• Is Part Of: Pediatric obesity. Volume 9:Issue 4(2014:Aug.)
• Page Start: 292
• Page End: 299
• Publication Date: 2013-05-27
• Subjects: Obesity in children -- Periodicals; Obesity in adolescence -- Periodicals; Obesity -- Periodicals; Overweight children -- Periodicals; 618.92398
• DOI: 10.1111/j.2047-6310.2013.00176.x
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1747-7174

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title>Summary</title> <sec id="ijpo176-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>What is already known about this subject</title> <p> <list id="ijpo176-list-0001" list-type="bullet"> <list-item> <p>There is emerging evidence suggesting that childhood obesity may influence the timing/tempo of puberty and growth patterns.</p> </list-item> <list-item> <p>An earlier onset of puberty generally occurs in obese girls, whereas conflicting data are available for boys.</p> </list-item> <list-item> <p>Obese children tend to be taller during pre‐puberty but lose this growth advantage during puberty.</p> </list-item> </list> </p> </sec> <sec id="ijpo176-sec-1001" sec-type="section"> <title>What this study adds</title> <p> <list id="ijpo176-list-0002" list-type="bullet"> <list-item> <p>Obese boys and girls present an earlier onset of puberty and completion of puberty, with a shorter duration of puberty compared to normal‐weight peers.</p> </list-item> <list-item> <p>Obese children tend to have a similar adult height compared to normal‐weight children.</p> </list-item> </list> </p> </sec> <sec id="ijpo176-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Background</title> <p>There is emerging evidence suggesting that childhood obesity may influence the timing of puberty and growth patterns. However, there are scant and controversial data in this field.</p> </sec> <sec id="ijpo176-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Objective</title> <p>To assess whether puberty and physical growth vary in obese when compared to normal‐weight children.</p> </sec> <sec id="ijpo176-sec-0005" sec-type="section"> <title>Methods</title> <p>One hundred obese pre‐pubertal children (44 boys; mean age (±SD): 9.01 ± 0.62 years; 56 girls; 8.70 ± 0.57 years) were compared to 55 normal‐weight controls (27 boys; 9.17 ± 0.26 years; 28 girls; 8.71 ± 0.62 years). All study participants were followed prospectively with 6‐monthly follow‐up visits. At each study visit, height, weight, body mass index (BMI) and pubertal stage were assessed.</p> </sec> <sec id="ijpo176-sec-0006" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>Obese children entered puberty and achieved later stages of puberty earlier than controls (onset of puberty: boys: 11.66 ± 1.00 vs. 12.12 ± 0.91 years, <italic>P</italic> = 0.049; girls: 9.90 ± 0.78 vs. 10.32 ± 1.70, <italic>P</italic> = 0.016; late puberty: boys: 13.33 ± 0.71 vs. 14.47 ± 1.00 years, <italic>P</italic> < 0.001; girls: 11.54 ± 0.99 vs. 12.40 ± 1.02, <italic>P</italic> = 0.001). Pre‐pubertal BMI standard deviation score (SDS) was inversely associated with both age at the onset of puberty (β = −0.506, <italic>P</italic> < 0.001) and age at late puberty (β = −0.514, <italic>P</italic> < 0.001). Obese children also showed an earlier age at peak height velocity (PHV) (boys: 12.62 ± 0.82 vs. 13.19 ± 0.96 years, <italic>P</italic> = 0.01; girls: 11.37 ± 0.89 vs. 12.77 ± 0.76, <italic>P</italic> < 0.001) and a lower PHV (boys: 7.74 ± 1.49 vs. 9.28 ± 1.64 cm year<sup>−1</sup>, <italic>P</italic> < 0.001; girls: 7.60 ± 1.64 vs. 8.29 ± 1.03, <italic>P</italic> = 0.03). Height SDS progressively declined over the study period in the obese group (<italic>P</italic> for trend <0.001), whereas there were no significant changes in the control group (<italic>P</italic> for trend = 0.5).</p> </sec> <sec id="ijpo176-sec-0007" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusions</title> <p>Obese boys and girls presented an earlier onset of puberty and completion of puberty and an impaired height gain during puberty.</p> </sec> </abstract>