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Thyroid function in obese children and adolescents
Valeria Marras1, Maria Rosaria Casini, Sabrina Pilia
1Servizio di Endocrinologia Pediatrica, Ospedale Regionale per le Microcitemie, Cagliari, Italy.
Hormone Research in Paediatrics
|March 4, 2010
Summary
In obese children, elevated free triiodothyronine (fT3) is the most common thyroid issue. Weight loss often normalizes thyroid function, showing a link between obesity and thyroid health.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Endocrinology
- Metabolic Disorders
- Thyroidology
Background:
- Obesity in children and adolescents is linked to various physiological changes, including potential alterations in thyroid function.
- Understanding these thyroid modifications is crucial for comprehensive pediatric health management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of thyroid function abnormalities in obese children and adolescents.
- To investigate the impact of puberty and weight loss on these thyroid parameters.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 468 obese children and 52 healthy controls, measuring thyroid hormones (TSH, fT3, fT4) and metabolic markers.
- A subset of 43 obese patients underwent follow-up measurements after a 6-month lifestyle intervention.
Main Results:
- Elevated free triiodothyronine (fT3) was the most frequent thyroid abnormality in obese children (84/109).
- Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and fT3 levels positively correlated with Body Mass Index (BMI) standard deviation score (SDS).
- Weight loss through lifestyle intervention led to normalization of thyroid function in a majority of participating patients.
Conclusions:
- Increased fT3 concentration is the primary thyroid function abnormality observed in pediatric obesity.
- Thyroid function abnormalities in obese children are often reversible with moderate weight loss.
- Thyroid hormone levels, particularly fT3 and TSH, are significantly associated with BMI in this population.
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