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Related Concept Videos

Signs of Puberty01:27

Signs of Puberty

Puberty is a critical phase, typically beginning between the ages of 8 and 13 in girls and 9 and 14 in boys, though timing can vary based on genetics, environmental factors, and overall health. This period is characterized by the development of secondary sexual characteristics and the attainment of reproductive potential. Endocrine changes underpin puberty, with hormonal surges of Luteinizing Hormone (LH) and Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH) instigated by Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone (GnRH)...
Hormones and Bone Tissue01:17

Hormones and Bone Tissue

The endocrine system produces and secretes hormones, which interact with the skeletal system. These hormones control bone growth, maintain bone once it is formed, and remodel it.
Hormones That Influence Osteoblasts and/or Maintain the Matrix
Several hormones are necessary for controlling bone growth and maintaining the bone matrix. The pituitary gland secretes growth hormone (GH), which, as its name implies, controls bone growth. This happens in several ways: first, it triggers chondrocyte...
Bone Disorders01:29

Bone Disorders

Aging and its effect on bone remodeling is the most common cause of bone disorders. In young and healthy people, bone deposition and resorption happen at an equal rate to maintain optimal bone health.
Bone deposition is also affected by the levels of sex hormones like estrogen and testosterone that promote osteoblast activity and bone matrix synthesis. When the level of these hormones decreases due to aging, it causes a reduction in bone deposition. As a result, bone resorption by osteoclasts...
Changes in the Appendicular Skeleton with Age01:09

Changes in the Appendicular Skeleton with Age

The upper and lower limb initially develops as a small bulge called a limb bud, which appears on the lateral side of the early embryo. The upper limb bud appears near the end of the fourth week of development, with the lower limb bud appearing shortly after.
Initially, the limb buds consist of a core of mesenchyme covered by a layer of ectoderm. The ectoderm at the end of the limb bud thickens to form a narrow crest called the apical ectodermal ridge. This ridge stimulates the underlying...
Nature and Nurture01:10

Nature and Nurture

Many human characteristics, like height, are shaped by both nature—in other words, by our genes—and by nurture, or our environment. For example, chronic stress during childhood inhibits the production of growth hormones and consequently reduces bone growth and height. Scientists estimate that 70-90% of variation in height is due to genetic differences among individuals, and 10-30% of variation in height is due to differences in the environments that individuals experience, such as differences...
Menopause01:28

Menopause

Menopause, a natural biological process marking the end of a woman's fertility, typically occurs between the fifth and sixth decade of life. This phase is characterized by the exhaustion of the ovarian follicle pool, leading to less responsive ovaries despite the high levels of Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) and Luteinizing Hormone (LH). The consequential decrease in estrogen production results in symptoms like hot flashes, heavy sweating, headaches, hair loss, muscle pains, vaginal...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 26, 2026

Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
09:36

Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study

Published on: February 2, 2017

Effect of puberty on body composition.

Lindsey A Loomba-Albrecht1, Dennis M Styne

  • 1University of California Davis Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, Sacramento, California 95817, USA.

Current Opinion in Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Obesity
|January 1, 2009
PubMed
Summary

Puberty significantly alters human body composition, increasing fat mass in females and lean/bone mass in males. These changes, driven by hormones, influence adult health and body shape.

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Last Updated: Jun 26, 2026

Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
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Area of Science:

  • Human Physiology
  • Endocrinology
  • Body Composition Analysis

Background:

  • Puberty involves significant physiological changes impacting body composition.
  • Understanding these changes is crucial for assessing normal development and identifying pathologies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine the effects of puberty on human body composition.
  • To detail changes in adiposity, lean body mass, and bone mineral content/density.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized new methodologies and longitudinal studies.
  • Analyzed components of human body composition.

Main Results:

  • Puberty drives sexual dimorphism in body composition, with males gaining more fat-free and skeletal mass, and females gaining more fat mass.
  • Hormonal status (estrogens, androgens, growth hormone, IGF-1), genetics, ethnicity, and environment influence these changes.
  • Body proportions and fat distribution shift, leading to android shapes in males and gynecoid shapes in females.

Conclusions:

  • Striking sexual dimorphism in body composition emerges during puberty, regulated by endocrine factors like growth hormone and gonadal steroids.
  • Pubertal body composition can predict adult composition and impacts future health.
  • Knowledge of normal pubertal changes is essential for clinical practice and research in disease states.