ESPE Abstracts

Objective: To research the the relationship between secular trends of puberty development and obesity in child and adolescent in area of southwest China.

Methods: Selected respectively 4010 childs and adolescents aged between 6 and 17 years in April 2003 to May 2005, and 1387 childs and adolescents aged between 6 and 18 years in December 2013 to November 2015 in China Chongqing area.Height, weight and the breast, pubic hair development of girls, and the testicles, pubic hair development of boys were measured. Questionaire surveied the menarche age in girls and spermatorrhea age in boys. We used mean and standard deviation, percentile to describe children physical development while chi-square test and Spearman rank correlation analysis were to test the correlation between puberty development and obesity.

Results: 1. In girls, during 2013-2015, the median age of breast and pubic hair developed to stage II was respectively 0.12 years (P>0.05) and 0.71 years (P<0.05) later than the period 2003-2005, while the medianage of menarche was 0.28 years earlier than that in 2003-2005.

2. In boys, during 2013-2015,the median age of testis development (volume of testes≥4ml) and pubic hair developed to stage II was respectively 0.45 years (P>0.05) and 1.28 years (P<0.05) earlier than the period 2003-2005, while median age of spermatorrhea was 0.31 years later than that in 2003-2005.

3. In girls, during the period 2003 to 2005 and 2013 to 2015, the overweight/obesity rates of early sexual maturation was significantly higher than normal sexual maturation group, Spearman correlation analysis suggested there was a positive correlation between early sexual maturation and obesity (r=0.178/0.281, P<0.05). BMI level from 2013 to 2015 in Tanner stage II or III was higher than the same period in 2003-2005 BMI level (P<0.05).

4. In boys, during the period 2003 to 2005 and 2013 to 2015, the overweight/obesity rates was no difference between early sexual maturation group and normal sexual maturation group (r=0.009/0.058, P>0.05). However, BMI level from 2013 to 2015 in Tanner stage II was higher than the same period in 2003-2005 BMI level (P<0.05).

Conclusion: The process of puberty in girls and the testis and pubic development in boys was accelerated during the decade in southwest China area. There were a positive correlation between early sexual maturation and increased obesity in both girls and boys.