Rapid maturation in adolescence results in greater obesity in adulthood: the Amsterdam Growth and Health Study

Abstract

In this study, the effect of rapid and slow biological maturation on the development of obesity was investigated in boys (n = 79) and girls (n = 98), initially aged a mean of 13 y, and measured six times between 1977 and 1991. Obesity was determined by measuring body mass index (BMI; in kg/m2) and by summing four skinfold thicknesses. Biological maturation was operationalized by skeletal age, the age of peak height velocity (PHVage) for boys, and the age of menarche for girls. Multiple analyses of variance for repeated measurements showed that based on either skeletal age or PHVage, BMI for rapidly maturing boys was significantly higher than for slowly maturing boys between 13 and 27 y of age. Based on skeletal age, rapid maturers also showed higher mean sums of skinfold thicknesses over this period. For girls, BMI and sums of skinfold thicknesses for the rapidly maturing girls, based on either skeletal age or age at menarche, were also higher than for the slowly maturing girls over the entire period of study. In conclusion, individuals who matured rapidly in adolescence were, in general, more obese than slowly maturing adolescents between 13 and 27 y of age. Rapid maturation seems to have long-term consequences for obesity and should therefore be considered a risk indicator for the development of obesity.

Weight gain over 5 years in 21 966 meat-eating, fish-eating, vegetarian, and vegan men and women in EPIC-Oxford

“…41 Several studies have reported that a younger age at menarche is associated with increased risk of being overweight as an adult. [42][43][44][45] This association was shown to be partly explained by childhood obesity. 46 Our study suggests that age at menarche is also associated with adult weight gain, as reported in other studies.…”

A comparison of international references for the assessment of child and adolescent overweight and obesity in different populations

“…Taking menarche age in girls as an example, our previous study found that the median age at menarche, a good indicator of maturation rates across populations recommended by the WHO (1995), was 12.8 y in US NHANES I girls, 12.6 in US NHANES III girls, 13.7 in Chinese girls, and 13.3 in Russian girls (Wang & Adair, 2001;Godina et al, 1995). Increasing evidence suggests that maturation influences adiposity and it may also have a long-term effect on the development of obesity (Beunen et al, 1994;Daniels et al, 1997;Morrison et al, 1994;Van Lenthe et al, 1996). It is suggested that maturation should be considered whenever possible (Himes, 1999;Wang & Adair, 2001;WHO, 1995).…”

Early overweight and pubertal maturation—pathways of association with young adults’ overweight: a longitudinal study

“…Despite uncertainty about biological mechanisms, it has been suggested that early maturation, in particular in women, may provide a longer duration of positive energy balance 23 or that the presence of endocrine factors during reproductive maturation enforces the accumulation of body fat. 24 Longitudinal data on this model of association are not conclusive, with some longitudinal studies suggesting stronger association of earlier puberty, [25][26][27][28] and others childhood BMI 21,22 and adult obesity. Other studies that have found an association between puberty and adult BMI did not examine childhood BMI, 23,24,29 or found both childhood weight and early menarche as important predictors of adult obesity.…”

“…24 Longitudinal data on this model of association are not conclusive, with some longitudinal studies suggesting stronger association of earlier puberty, [25][26][27][28] and others childhood BMI 21,22 and adult obesity. Other studies that have found an association between puberty and adult BMI did not examine childhood BMI, 23,24,29 or found both childhood weight and early menarche as important predictors of adult obesity. 30,31 However, most of these studies have examined only women, [21][22][23]25,26,28,29 and different classifications are used for puberty and early onset.…”