The relationship between infancy growth rate and the onset of puberty in both genders

• Published in: Pediatric research Vol. 82; no. 6; pp. 940 - 946
• Main Authors: Aydin, Banu Kucukemre, Devecioglu, Esra, Kadioglu, Alev, Cakmak, Ayca Erkin, Kisabacak, Sezin, Gokcay, Gulbin, Bas, Firdevs, Poyrazoglu, Sukran, Bundak, Ruveyde, Darendeliler, Feyza
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Nature Publishing Group US 01.12.2017; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: 631/136; 692/700/1720/3187; Age; Birth weight; Child; clinical-investigation; Female; Growth; Humans; Infant; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Pediatric Surgery; Pediatrics; Puberty; Retrospective Studies
• ISSN: 0031-3998; 1530-0447
• DOI: 10.1038/pr.2017.194

Background In this study, we examined the hypothesis that weight gain and linear growth during the first years of life influence the onset of puberty both in girls and in boys. Methods A cohort of 157 healthy children, aged 6–9 years, was evaluated and their growth patterns were analyzed retrospectively. Repeated measures mixed model was used to examine the longitudinal anthropometric data. Results Girls with pubertal signs were heavier than their peers starting at 9 months of age ( P =0.02), and the difference became more evident over time ( P <0.001). Accelerated weight gain between 6 and 15 months of age was found to increase the odds of having a pubertal sign at the study visit (odds ratio (OR)=34.5) after adjusting for birth weight, gestational age and current age, height, weight, and BMI ( P =0.004). Anthropometric indices of boys with or without pubertal signs were not significantly different at the study visit, but boys with accelerated height gain between 9 and 15 months of age were more likely to have pubertal signs (OR=15.8) after adjusting for birth weight, gestational age and current age, height, weight, and BMI ( P =0.016). Conclusion Early growth acceleration might be important for the timing of puberty in both genders.