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Children
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Timing of Puberty: Associations with Obesity and Impact on Growth
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Timing of Puberty: Associations with Obesity and Impact on Growth

A special issue of Children (ISSN 2227-9067). This special issue belongs to the section "Pediatric Endocrinology & Diabetes".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 December 2024) | Viewed by 1613

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Meropi Toumba

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Paediatric Endocrinology Clinic, Department of Paediatrics, Aretaeio Hospital, 2024 Nicosia, Cyprus
2. School of Medicine, University of Nicosia, 2414 Nicosia, Cyprus
Interests: pediatric endocrinology; growth; puberty; obesity
Dr. Nicolas C. Nicolaides

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes, First Department of Pediatrics, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, 11527 Athens, Greece
Interests: glucocorticoid receptor; glucocorticoids; molecular endocrinology; pediatric endocrinology; signal transduction.
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Puberty is a critical phase of human development, characterised by physiological changes that lead to sexual maturation and reproductive capability. Puberty’s onset is influenced by various factors, including genetic, environmental, and nutritional status. Genetic and epigenetic variations such as variations in DLK1 and MKRN3 expressions of imprinting can lead to precocious puberty; other genetic causes are also reported. Several studies have found a link between obesity and early puberty in girls. Girls who are overweight or obese tend to experience an earlier initiation of puberty and an earlier menarche compared to their normal-weight counterparts. Possible associated mechanisms are under investigation. Leptin, a hormone produced by adipose tissue, plays a role in regulating energy balance and reproductive function. Elevated leptin levels, other adipokines, and insulin resistance in obese individuals may influence the timing of puberty. The relationship between obesity and pubertal timing in boys is less clear, opening the path for further research. Existing data do not consistently support an association between obesity and the timing of male pubertal onset. On the contrary, obese boys tend to start their puberty late. Early puberty can affect linear growth. Girls who experience menarche earlier may have accelerated growth during the prepubertal phase, but a slower growth during adolescence.

Dr. Meropi Toumba
Dr. Nicolas C. Nicolaides
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Children is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • growth
  • puberty
  • obesity
  • precocious puberty
  • MKRN3
  • hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadatal axis
  • letpin
  • insulin resistance

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

12 pages, 636 KiB  
Article
Cross-Sectional Analysis of IL-6, TNF-α, Adiponectin, Leptin, and Klotho Serum Levels in Relation to BMI Among Overweight and Obese Children Aged 10–14 in La Rioja, Spain
by Beatriz Fernández-Vallejo, Francisco Jiménez Monteagudo, Lourdes Romero, Maria Isabel López Aznárez, María del Carmen Romero Cobas and Laura Pérez-Martínez
Children 2025, 12(1), 89; https://doi.org/10.3390/children12010089 - 14 Jan 2025
Viewed by 1255
Abstract
Background: Childhood obesity is a major public health concern, being linked to an increased risk of metabolic disorders and cardiovascular disease. Even in childhood, obesity is associated with systemic low-grade inflammation, which is a critical factor in the development of atherosclerosis and a [...] Read more.
Background: Childhood obesity is a major public health concern, being linked to an increased risk of metabolic disorders and cardiovascular disease. Even in childhood, obesity is associated with systemic low-grade inflammation, which is a critical factor in the development of atherosclerosis and a predictor of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Objectives: To describe the prevalence of obesity and examine the relationship between IL-6, TNF-α, adiponectin, leptin, the leptin/adiponectin (L/A) ratio, and Klotho levels with BMI in children. Methods: This cross-sectional study included children aged 10–14 years from La Rioja, Spain. Participants were selected based on BMI criteria for overweight (85th–95th percentiles) and obesity (>95th percentile). Socio-demographic and anthropometric data and blood samples were collected and analyzed for IL-6, TNF-α, adiponectin, leptin, and Klotho. Results: A total of 340 participants were included, with 276 (81.2%) classified as normal weight and 64 (18.8%) as overweight or obese. Mean age was similar between groups (p = 0.40). Obesity was more prevalent in males (59.4%, p = 0.048). Obese participants had higher mean birth weight (p = 0.003), current height (p = 0.04), BMI (p < 0.0001), and abdominal circumference (p < 0.0001). BMI correlated positively with leptin (r = 0.54, p = 0.0008) and the L/A ratio (r = 0.40, p = 0.025), showing sex-specific differences. Conclusions: This study underscores leptin and the L/A ratio as potential biomarkers of metabolic dysregulation in childhood obesity, particularly in females. Longitudinal studies are needed to confirm these findings and assess the clinical utility of these biomarkers in pediatric obesity management. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Timing of Puberty: Associations with Obesity and Impact on Growth)
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