Pubertal progression and serum lipid profile in obese children

During puberty, sex hormones are associated with decrease in serum lipids in healthy individuals.

To investigate the relationships between pubertal development, serum lipid profile and atherogenic indices in obese children and adolescents.

Body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, and serum lipids of 340 obese children (182 girls, 158 boys) aged 3.6-17.8 years were measured. Atherogenic index, total cholesterol (TC)/high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C)/HDL-C were calculated as indices of atherogenic risk.

Weight (F = 62.078; p < 0.001), BMI (F = 21.083; p < 0.001), systolic blood pressure (SBP) (F = 11.956; p < 0.001) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (F = 3.947, p = 0.005) differed significantly between pubertal stages and increased with advance in stages in males. HDL-C (F = 4.586; p = 0.004) differed significantly between pubertal stages and decreased with advancing stages in males. Weight (F = 66.915; p <0.001), BMI (F = 23.101; p <0.001), SBP (F = 10.873; p <0.001), DBP (F = 2.839; p = 0.040) and LDL-C (F = 3.072; p = 0.029) differed significantly between pubertal stages and increased with advancing stages in girls. Triglyceride, TC, LDL-C and SBP were statistically significant determinants for HDL-C according to multivariate linear regression analysis. SBP was significantly affected by chronological age, BMI, glucose, TC and HDL-C according to stepwise linear regression analysis.

The increasing rate of obesity is associated with an increase in cardiovascular risk factors in parallel with advance in pubertal stages, particularly in boys.