Association between Obesity and Puberty Timing: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the associations between obesity and puberty timing based on scientific evidence. Eight electronic databases were searched up to February 2017 for eligible studies, and two reviewers screened the articles and extracted the data independently. A total of 11 cohort studies with 4841 subjects met the inclusion criteria. Compared with the group of normal-weight girls, the obese group had more girls with menarche (RR: 1.87, 95% CI: 1.59–2.19, 2 studies). The number of girls with early puberty was significantly higher in the obese group than the normal weight group (RR: 2.44, 95% CI: 1.32–4.52, 5 studies). However, no differences were detected between girls who were obese or normal weight at age of menarche (WMD: −0.53 years, 95% CI: −1.24–0.19, 2 studies). There is no consistent result in the relationship between obesity and timing of pubertal onset in boys. Obesity may contribute to early onset of puberty in girls, while in boys, there is insufficient data. Given the limited number of cohort studies included in this meta-analysis, high-quality studies with strong markers of puberty onset, as well as standardized criteria for defining obesity are needed.

Growth control through regulation of insulin-signaling by nutrition-activated steroid hormone in Drosophila

“…This suggests that a similar nutrition-mediated steroid activation may function in regulating insulin output of mammals and warrants further investigation, particularly in the context of several human disorders with nutrition-associated phenotypes (e.g. obesity and anorexia nervosa) that also impact timing of sexual maturity (Kaplowitz, 2008;Stipp, 2011;Wagner et al, 2012;Li et al, 2017).…”

“…Growth and maturation are tightly coordinated processes that result in animals of similar, genetically determined and species-specific adult size. Advances in recent years have revealed remarkable similarities in the mechanisms that coordinate growth and developmental timing of maturation in evolutionarily distant species such as fly and human, with major roles for steroid hormones in maturation and insulin signalling in growth (Brogiolo et al, 2001;Rulifson et al, 2002;Colombani et al, 2005;Kaplowitz, 2008;Stipp, 2011;Wagner et al, 2012;Rewitz et al, 2013;Nässel and Vanden Broeck, 2016;Li et al, 2017). Growth and time to maturation universally depend on nutrient availability.…”

Association of puberty timing with type 2 diabetes: A systematic review and meta-analysis

“…The mechanisms that underlie the association between earlier AAM and higher T2D/IGT risk are unclear. Rapid postnatal weight gain [46] and childhood obesity [47,48] may precede early menarche, but also early menarche may promote adulthood obesity [49], and consequently increase T2D risk [3,50,51]. Hence, adiposity may be considered as both a partial confounder and partial mediator.…”

Puberty timing and adiposity change across childhood and adolescence: disentangling cause and consequence

“…In males, however, some studies have found that higher childhood BMI is associated with later puberty, 10 13 14 , while others have found associations similar to those observed in females 8 9 15–17 . In a recent systematic review and meta-analysis of 11 cohort studies, pre-pubertal obesity among females was associated with earlier menarche but there was insufficient and inconsistent evidence in males 18 . A recent Mendelian randomisation (MR) analysis suggested that earlier age at menarche causes higher adult BMI but lacked data on pre-pubertal BMI for adjustment 19 .…”