title: Androgens before and after weight loss in obese children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Little information is available on androgens in obese children, and it is unknown whether these hormones change after weight loss.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to compare androgens between obese and normal-weight children and to study the effect of weight loss on androgens.
  
  
  METHODS
  The design was a cross-sectional comparison between obese and normal-weight children separated according to pubertal stage and longitudinal 1-yr follow-up study in obese children participating in a weight-loss intervention.
  
  
  METHODS
  The setting of this study was a primary care facility.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 273 obese and 79 lean children (aged 4-14 yr) were studied, including a subgroup of 155 obese children for the longitudinal study.
  
  
  METHODS
  The intervention program was an outpatient 1-yr intervention program based on exercise, behavior, and nutrition therapy (high-carbohydrate low-fat diet).
  
  
  METHODS
  The outcome measures included testosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) at baseline and 1 yr later.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The obese prepubertal children and the obese pubertal girls showed significantly (P < 0.01) higher testosterone and DHEAS levels, whereas obese pubertal boys did not significantly differ in androgens from their lean counterparts. Significant correlations with body mass index were demonstrated in multivariate regression analyses for DHEAS in all children and for testosterone in prepubertal children and in pubertal girls. The obese prepubertal children and obese girls losing substantial weight showed a significant (P < 0.05) decrease in their testosterone concentrations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Moderately increased testosterone and DHEAS levels were found in obese prepubertal children and in obese pubertal girls, whereas androgen concentrations did not differ between obese and normal-weight pubertal boys. Weight loss induced a decrease in testosterone in obese prepubertal children and pubertal girls pointing to a reversible increase of androgens.
authors: Vestische Kinderklinik und Jugendklinik, University of Witten/Herdecke, Dr. F. Steiner Strasse 5, 45711 Datteln, Germany. t.reinehr@kinderklinik-datteln.de
authors: Thomas
authors: T
authors: Reinehr
authors: Gideon
authors: G
authors: de Sousa
authors: Christian Ludwig
authors: CL
authors: Roth
authors: Werner
authors: W
authors: Andler
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D000728:Androgens / Q000097:blood*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood*; D011627:Puberty / Q000502:physiology; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D000728:Androgens; D013739:Testosterone; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate