Body mass index growth trajectories, early pubertal maturation, and short stature

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Endocrinology
• Growth and Development
• Public Health Nutrition

Background:

• Childhood body mass index (BMI) trajectories are infrequently associated with early puberty.
• Research on early puberty risk in relation to BMI patterns is limited, especially in Chinese populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess early puberty risk across different childhood BMI trajectory classes.
• To identify factors influencing pubertal development.
• To examine final adult height differences in relation to early pubertal maturation.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the Taiwan Children Health Study (N=3109).
• Analyzed body mass index (BMI) from ages 6-11 years and pubertal stages at ages 11, 12, and 18 years.
• Classified children into four BMI trajectory groups: persistently healthy weight, rapid BMI growth, chronically overweight/obese, and early transient overweight/obese.

Main Results:

• Children in the chronically overweight/obese BMI trajectory class (Class 3) showed the highest risk of early pubertal maturation.
• A combination of puberty genetic score, low sleep quality, and high fat-free mass explained 15% of the variance in Tanner stages for Class 3.
• Early pubertal maturation was linked to short stature in boys and tall stature in girls.

Conclusions:

• Interventions targeting sleep quality and fat-free mass may lower early puberty risk in chronically overweight/obese children.
• Vigorous physical activity could reduce adiposity and enhance final adult height.
• Understanding BMI trajectories is crucial for managing pubertal development and final stature.