The relationship between thyroid hormone levels and obesity in children

Abstract

Objective: Obesity which is an epidemic health problem, also effects pediatric population. Recently more attention is paid on obesity and thyroid function tests as more obese children are seeking for medical care. Aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between thyroid hormone levels and obesity in childhood period.

Methods: Children between 5-11 years old who attended at Marmara University Family Medicine and Pediatry outpatient clinics for various reasons between April 2011 and August. 2011 were enrolled in the study. Blood samples for TSH and fT4 were collected from all children.

Results: 300 children aged between 5-11 years were enrolled in the study. 159 of all children were girls and 141 of all children were boys. Mean age of the children was 8.4±2.1 years. There were 100 children in normal weight group (5-85p), 74 children in overweight group (85-95p), 126 children in obese group (>95p). TSH levels were high in 1% of normal weight group, 9.5% of overweight group and 11.9% of obese group. TSH levels of obese group were significantly higher than other groups (p=0.007) but there wasn’t any significant relationship between fT4 and BMI (p=0.395). There was a statistically significant, but weak correlation between BMI and TSH levels (r=0.152; p<0.001).

Conclusions: In our study, as compatible with the literature we found statistically significant relationship between BMI and elevation of TSH. fT4 levels and BMI did not correlate significantly.