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Sexual dimorphism in relation to adipose tissue and intrahepatocellular lipid deposition in early infancy

C Gale1, K M Logan1, S Jeffries1

  • 1Section of Neonatal Medicine, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital Campus, Imperial College London, London, UK.

International Journal of Obesity (2005)
|January 24, 2015
PubMed

Insights

Sexual dimorphism in infant adiposity is established early. Girls exhibit greater relative body fat than boys by 63 days, primarily due to increased subcutaneous adipose tissue.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Endocrinology
  • Human Physiology
  • Body Composition Analysis

Background:

  • Sexual dimorphism in adult adiposity is well-documented.
  • The precise age of onset for these sex-based differences in infants remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate longitudinal changes in adiposity and intrahepatocellular lipid (IHCL) in relation to sex during early infancy.
  • To determine when sex-specific differences in body fat distribution emerge.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective cohort study of 70 healthy term infants (40 boys, 30 girls).
  • Whole-body magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for adipose tissue quantification.
  • In vivo proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy for IHCL measurement at median ages of 13 and 63 days.

Main Results:

  • Girls demonstrated greater relative adiposity than boys at both neonatal and follow-up (63 days) assessments.
  • Increased subcutaneous adipose tissue significantly contributed to girls' greater adiposity by follow-up.
  • No significant sex differences were observed in IHCL levels.

Conclusions:

  • Sex-specific differences in infant adipose tissue distribution emerge in early infancy.
  • These findings align with adult patterns, suggesting early establishment of sexual dimorphism in adiposity.
  • Early infant body composition may provide insights into long-term metabolic health trajectories.

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