Childhood overweight and obesity and timing of puberty in boys and girls: cohort and sibling-matched analyses

• DOI: 10.1093/ije/dyaa056
• Publication Date: 2020-03-24T20:09:35Z
• Authors: Nis Brix; Andreas Ernst; Lea Lykke Braskhø...; Erik Thorlund Parner; Onyebuchi A Arah; Jørn Olsen; Tine Brink Henriksen; Cecilia Høst Raml...
• Keywords: Menarche

Abstract Background Early puberty is a risk indicator for adult diseases. Identification of modifiable causes earlier is, therefore, warranted. We estimate the association between childhood body mass index (BMI) and pubertal timing in cohort study sibling-matched to adjust unobserved time-stable confounders shared within families. Methods For study, 11 046 22 439 (49%) invited children, born 2000–203, from Danish National Birth Cohort (DNBC) had information on BMI at 7 years self-reported, half-yearly Tanner stages, menarche, voice break, first ejaculation, acne, axillary hair. 1700 brothers sisters were included among 86 820 live-born singletons DNBC. Results Childhood overweight (85th ≤ < 95th percentile) obesity (BMI ≥ associated with age attaining milestones dose-dependent manner boys girls. When modelling all simultaneously, attained in: boys: −3.1 [95% confidence interval (CI): −4.5, −1.7] months, girls: −5.5 (95% CI: −7.1, −3.9) obese −3.5 −5.1, −2.0) −5.2 −3.4) months compared normal weight 85th children. In higher was most girls, but only tendency toward observed boys. Conclusions even after adjustment