Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Puberty is a crucial period, marking the transition from childhood to adulthood with significant physical and psychological changes. (1) In girls, when puberty begins before the age of eight, it is considered precocious. (2) While multiple factors influence individual differences in pubertal timing, the interactions between hormones and nutrition during critical growth periods, like puberty, are crucial. (3) Girls with a higher BMI experienced early menarche compared to those who did not have excess weight. (4) In recent years, there has been a global increase in both obesity rates among children and early pubertal maturation. (6,7,8,9) By analysing the correlation between precocious puberty in girls and their weight, the study aims to provide insights that contribute to the ongoing discourse on the intertwined rise of obesity and precocious puberty among children, offering valuable information on the dynamics over the past years.Methods and MaterialsA retrospective study was conducted on children aged 4-7 years with an established diagnosis: precocious puberty (PP). Data was obtained from medical records of children who visited the National Institute of Endocrinology, Georgia, during 2020-2023. BMI-for-age percentile was calculated based on CDC growth charts for children. (10)Medical history of Children with congenital disease, type 1 diabetes, steroid intake history and malignancy was excluded.ResultsWe analysed medical records for 165 patients aged 4-7 years, of whom 88 were girls and 22 were boys. 2021 - from 18 evaluated patients, 33.33% (n=6) had healthy weights, 33.33 (n=6) were overweight, 33.33% (n=6) were obese and 0% (n=0) had severe obesity. 2022 - from 39 evaluated patients, 23.07% (n=9) had healthy weights, 38.46% (n=15) were overweight, 23.07% (n=9) were obese and 15.38% (n=6) had severe obesity. 2023 - from 108 evaluated patients, 19.44% (n=21) had healthy weights, 25% (n=27) were overweight, 19.44% (n=21) were obese and 36.11% (n=39) had severe obesity.

Conclusios: Early sexual maturation can have an enormous impact on both the mental and physical. Children with PP often have more psychological difficulties than their non-PP peers. (11) Based on the findings, it is evident that there is a rapidly growing trend of two variables among children: Obesity and sexual precocity, prompting the need for more controlled studies. Our team intends to conduct further preclinical research into identifying the most effective dietary interventions for managing precocious puberty in obese children.