Thyroid hormones and BMI in obese children: One year follow up results

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between thyroid hormone levels and obesity, lipid levels and weight changes. Patients and Methods:Five to eleven year old normal weight, overweight and obese children underwent measurements of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), free thyroxine (fT4), lipid profile and autoimmune thyroid antibodies. Children with high TSH were reevaluated one year later without any intervention.Results: Three hundred children (126 obese, 74 overweight, 100 normal weight) were evaluated in the study. The rates of high TSH levels were 1.0% in normal weight, 9.5% in overweight and 11.9% in obese group (p=0.007). fT4 levels of all the children enrolled in the study were in normal range. None of the children had autoimmune antibody positivity. Obese children with high TSH had higher triglyceride levels than children with normal TSH (p=0.028). One year later, a significant decrease in body mass index (BMI) was accompanied by a significant decrease in TSH levels.Conclusion: TSH levels can be high in obese and overweight children. Obese and overweight children with elevated levels of TSH do not need to be treated pharmacologically, losing weight decreases TSH levels significantly.Keywords: TSH, BMI, Child, Obesity, Overweight, Thyroid ÖZET Amaç: Bu çalışmanın amacı tiroid hormon düzeyleri ile obezite, lipid düzeyleri ve ağırlık değişiklikleri arasındaki ilişkiyi araştırmaktır. Hastalar ve Yöntemler:Beş ve onbir yaş aralığında normal, fazla kilolu ve obez çocukların TSH, sT4, lipid profili ve otoimmün antikor değerlerine bakılmıştır. TSH düzeyi yüksek olan çocuklar herhangi bir müdahale yapılmadan bir yıl sonra yeniden değerlendirilmiştir.Bulgular: Çalışmada 300 çocuk (126 obez, 74 fazla kilolu, 100 normal kilolu) değerlendirilmiştir. Yüksek TSH düzeyi sıklığı normal kilolu grupta %1.0, fazla kilolu grupta %9.5 ve obez grupta %11.9'dur (p=0.007). Bütün gruplarda sT4 düzeyleri normal bulunmuştur. Çocukların hiçbirinde otoimmun antikorlar pozitif değildir. Yüksek TSH'lı çocuklar normal TSH'lı çocuklara göre daha yüksek trigliserid düzeylerine sahiptir (p=0.028). Bir yıl sonra yapılan değerlendirmede, VKİ'de anlamlı düşüşle birlikte TSH düzeyinde de anlamlı bir düşüş saptanmıştır.Sonuç: TSH düzeyleri obez ve fazla kilolu çocuklarda yüksek olabilir. TSH yüksekliği olan obez ve fazla kilolu çocukların farmakolojik olarak tedavi edilmesine gerek yoktur, kilo vermek TSH düzeylerinin anlamlı olarak azalmasını sağlar.

Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) Is Associated With General and Abdominal Obesity: A Cohort Study in School-Aged Girls During Puberty in East China

“…Our study indicated that in pubertal girls with a higher serum TSH level had a higher risk of overweight/obesity based on BMI or WC measures, and the association was more evident for the BMI measure. Previous studies demonstrated that TSH was positively related to BMI-based obesity in pediatric outpatients ( 11 , 28 ), and WC-based obesity in adolescents ( 29 , 30 ).…”

“…Evidence suggests that thyroid dysfunction predispose to obesity, or vice versa ( 10 ). Overweight and obese children tend to have higher TSH levels ( 11 ). The association between adiposity and thyroid dysfunction may be modified by sex.…”

Iodine Nutritional Status and Related Factors among Chinese School-Age Children in Three Different Areas: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…Ekinci et al has proved that higher TSH levels is associated with overweight and obesity in children [ 21 ]. In the present study, 22.27% (848/3808) of children were classified as overweighted and obese (13.18% for boys and 9.09% for girls).…”