Obesity and external sexual maturation—The bogalusa heart study

We explored the relation between amount of adipose tissue and maturation in 3,524 boys and girls ages 5–14 years examined in 1973–1974, and 4,074 children ages 5–17 years (re)examined in 1976–1977. Subjects were drawn from a total, geographically defined, biracial community as part of a cardiovascular risk factor screening. Height, weight, triceps skinfold thickness, external sexual maturation according to Reynolds—Tanner, status of menarche, and visible gynecomastia were assessed. We observed that adiposity was positively correlated with acceleration of maturation. This positive correlation was stronger in girls than boys, and stronger in whites than blacks. Visible gynecomastia was more prevalent at ages 13–15 years than other ages. These boys were markedly more obese than all others. Gynecomastia was negatively associated with sexual maturation (after controlling for the positive effect of adiposity), in white boys more than in black. Adiposity may have some feedback sex-hormonal effect, in girls more directly, toward accelerated maturation. In boys adiposity enhances gynecomastia which in turn is likely related to a deceleration in male maturation. The observed effects of adiposity on sex-hormonal function could have implications for the known association between adiposity and incidence of sex hormone-related female cancers, especially mammary cancer.