The tempo and timing of puberty: associations with early adolescent weight gain and body composition over three years

ABSTRACT

Background

Earlier timing, and possibly faster tempo, of puberty is associated with overweight and obesity (Ow/Ob). However, most studies consider these concepts separately when investigating the implications to adolescent weight gain.

Aim

To assess pubertal timing and tempo associations with weight gain over early-mid adolescence.

Subjects and methods

This study analyzed data from 263 healthy adolescents (10–13y at recruitment) who were followed annually for three years. Growth models were employed to estimate timing and tempo of peak height growth and self-reported Tanner stage (TS) change. Timing and tempo variables were assessed against anthropometry and body composition change via mixed models (data: estimate [95% confidence interval]).

Results

In girls, earlier height and TS change were associated with higher BMI z-score (height: −0.51 [−0.85, −0.17], p = 0.004; TS: −0.43 [−0.67, −0.20], p < 0.001) and waist-to-height ratio (height: −0.02 [−0.04, −0.00]) 0.025; TS: −0.01 [−0.03, −0.00]; p = 0.028). There were no consistent findings for pubertal tempo among girls. In boys, earlier timing and slower tempo of height growth consistently related to higher adiposity across all anthropometric and body fat variables (all p < 0.01). Timing and tempo of TS change showed no consistent findings among boys.

Conclusion

Relative to pubertal tempo, girls with earlier height and TS change exhibited significantly higher BMI z-score and waist-to-height ratio. This finding corroborates strong evidence linking earlier female puberty with elevated adiposity. In boys, timing and tempo of height growth showed independent but compensatory relationships with anthropometry and body composition. This suggests the risk of excess weight gain in boys may be less attributable to puberty compared to other risk factors.

KEYWORDS:

• Adolescent
• puberty
• tempo
• timing
• weight gain
• adiposity

Acknowledgments

The authors thank the ARCHER study participants and their families and research assistants Lisa Riley and Janet Symons. Thank you to the schools and communities of Central Western NSW that were key to the recruitment of this cohort.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Health and Medical Research Council [1003312]; National Health and Medical Research Council [1165070;Thyne Reid FoundationThe Children’s Hospital at Westmead Clinical SchoolKids Research. Initial feasibility studies that led to the ARCHER study were supported by the Sydney Medical School Foundation; and Australian Rotary Health, Australia].