ASSOCIATIONS OF THYROID VOLUME AND FUNCTION WITH CHILDHOOD OBESITY.

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Endocrinology
• Childhood Obesity Research
• Thyroid Gland Physiology

Background:

• The relationship between childhood obesity and thyroid health remains unclear, with limited data on thyroid function and volume.
• Existing research presents conflicting findings regarding obesity's impact on thyroid parameters in children.

Observation:

• This cross-sectional study compared 100 obese and 100 normal-weight Turkish school-age children.
• Key parameters measured included Body Mass Index z-score (Z-BMI), body surface area (BSA), thyroid volume, free thyroxine (fT4), and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH).

Findings:

• Obese children exhibited significantly larger thyroid volumes compared to normal-weight children.
• No significant differences were observed in mean TSH or fT4 levels between the two groups.
• Thyroid volume positively correlated with Z-BMI and BSA in both obese and normal-weight children.
• fT4 showed a negative correlation with Z-BMI and BSA in both groups, while TSH was independent of these metrics.

Implications:

• Childhood obesity is associated with increased thyroid volume, suggesting potential structural changes.
• Thyroid function (fT4 and TSH) appears largely preserved in obese children despite altered thyroid size.
• These findings highlight the complex interplay between obesity and thyroid morphology in pediatric populations, warranting further investigation.