Longitudinal Association Between Body Mass Index z-Score and Puberty: Structural Equation Modeling Analyses

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Endocrinology
• Public Health
• Nutritional Science

Background:

• Changes in puberty timing may indicate population health shifts.
• Rising overweight and obesity prevalence is a public health concern.

Purpose of the Study:

• To longitudinally analyze the association between childhood body mass index (BMI) and pubertal development in Brazilian students.
• To investigate the impact of BMI on sexual maturation (SM) five years later.

Main Methods:

• Longitudinal study of 494 students (ages 7-10 in 2007).
• BMI z-scores calculated; pubertal development self-assessed using Tanner stages.
• Structural equation modeling used, adjusting for socioeconomic status (SES), birth weight, breastfeeding, physical activity, and dietary patterns (DP).

Main Results:

• No significant association between BMI and SM in either sex.
• In girls, higher childhood BMI z-score was directly associated with earlier age at menarche.
• Ultra-processed food consumption indirectly affected age at menarche via BMI in girls.

Conclusions:

• Childhood BMI is associated with earlier menarche in girls.
• Dietary patterns and SES influence pubertal timing in boys.
• Sex-specific research is crucial to understand early puberty determinants in diverse populations.