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The role of puberty and normal variations in pubertal timing for the development of obesity in men is unclear. The aim of the current study was to investigate the impact of pubertal timing and prepubertal BMI (kg/m(2)) for young adult BMI and fat mass distribution. Detailed growth charts from birth to age 18-20 years were retrieved for the men participating in the population-based Gothenburg Osteoporosis and Obesity Determinants study. Age at peak height velocity (PHV) and BMI at age 10 years were estimated for 579 subjects, and PHV was used as an assessment of pubertal timing. The fat mass characterization and distribution were analyzed using dual X-ray absorptiometry and peripheral as well as abdominal computed tomography at age 18.9 +/- 0.5 years. We demonstrate that age at PHV is an independent negative predictor of young adult BMI and whole-body fat mass. Interestingly, age at PHV is an independent negative predictor of central, but not peripheral, fat mass. In contrast, BMI at 10 years of age predicts both central and peripheral subcutaneous fat mass. In conclusion, we demonstrate that early pubertal onset specifically predicts a central fat mass distribution, while a predominantly subcutaneous obese phenotype is strongly predicted by a high prepubertal BMI.