Takeaway
- Overweight/obese status is associated with higher levels of pubertal hormones at age 6-10 years in boys.
Why this matters
- The connection between BMI and puberty timing is poorly understood.
Key results
- Overweight/obese status was associated with higher levels of 17-OH progesterone, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), androstenedione, and free testosterone and lower levels of sex hormone-binding globulin during prepuberty and at ages 6 to <10 years (P<.01 for all).
- Overweight/obese status was associated with lower levels of androstenedione and free testosterone during late puberty and postpuberty (P<.05 for all).
Study design
- 1148 boys aged 6-14 years were stratified by BMI (overweight defined as 85th-95th percentile, obese defined as >95th percentile) and analysed for serum hormone levels.
- Funding: National Key Research and Development Program of China, Beijing Municipal Administration of Hospital Clinical Medicine Development of Special Funding Support, Beijing Children’s Hospital Young Investigator Program.
Limitations
- Cross-sectional study design.
- Serum cortisol and aldosterone levels not analysed.
References
References