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The effect of puberty on insulin resistance in obese children

S Pilia1, M R Casini, M L Foschini

  • 1Pediatric Endocrinology Unit, Microcitemico Hospital, ASL Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy.

Journal of Endocrinological Investigation
|October 2, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Puberty significantly increases insulin resistance (IR) in obese children more than in normal-weight children. This heightened IR in obese youth persists beyond puberty, highlighting a critical metabolic challenge.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Endocrinology
  • Metabolic Health
  • Obesity Research

Background:

  • Insulin resistance (IR) is an early metabolic abnormality in obesity and a marker for metabolic syndrome.
  • IR naturally increases during puberty in healthy children.
  • Understanding puberty's impact on IR in obese children is crucial for metabolic health.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the effect of pubertal development on insulin resistance in both obese and normal-weight children.
  • To compare the progression of IR during puberty between obese and lean pediatric populations.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study involving 424 obese children and 123 normal-weight children.
  • Fasting glucose, insulin levels, and Homeostasis Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) were measured.
  • Participants were categorized by pubertal status (pre-pubertal and Tanner stages 2-5).

Main Results:

  • Obese children exhibited significantly higher HOMA-IR across all pubertal stages compared to controls.
  • HOMA-IR demonstrated a progressive increase with advancing Tanner stages in obese children.
  • A significant correlation was observed between HOMA-IR and Body Mass Index (BMI) in the study cohort.

Conclusions:

  • Insulin resistance escalates more dramatically during puberty in obese children than in their normal-weight peers.
  • In obese children, elevated HOMA-IR levels during puberty do not revert to pre-pubertal levels by the end of adolescence.
Abstract

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