Objectives: To study several aspects of puberal development in obese adolescent girls, and the influence of weight loss on these aspects.
Methods: A longitudinal retrospective study was performed of a sample of 26 adolescent girls with normal weight and 46 obese adolescent girls at the onset of puberty. The obese teenagers were further divided into two groups (normal and obese) according to their body mass index (BMI) at the end of puberty. Height, chronological and bone age, and growth velocity were evaluated in both groups.
Results: Of the teenagers who were obese at the onset of puberty, 63 % remained obese at the end of puberty. The obese teenagers were significantly taller than non-obese teenagers at the onset of puberty (143.2 +/- 6.96 vs 138.9 +/- 5.95 cm, respectively; p < 0.01). However, there were no differences between the two groups in final height. No differences were found between obese teenagers who lost weight and those who did not. There were no differences in chronological or bone age throughout puberal development in any of the groups. The mean growth velocity during puberty was significantly lower in obese teenagers than in non-obese teenagers (6.18 +/- 1.94 and 6.90 +/- 127 cm/year, respectively; p < 0.02). However, there were no differences between obese teenagers who lost weight and those who did not.
Conclusions: Height gain in obese girls is greater in childhood but lower in adolescence. Final height is similar in both groups. Chronological age at the onset and end of puberty and bone maturation are similar in both groups. Weight loss during puberty does not modify growth pattern during this period of development.