A Natural History of Genetic and Environmental Predictors of Pubertal Timing Among Youth With Obesity
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)
Summary
Background: Obesity affects 1 in 5 children in the United States. Childhood obesity often persists into adolescence and adulthood. It can also raise the risk of sleep apnea, fatty liver disease, and fluid buildup in the brain and lead to early-onset puberty. This natural history study will explore how factors such as genes, hormones, diet, and chemical exposures affect puberty in children with obesity. Objective: To learn which factors predict the early start of puberty in children with obesity vs those of normal weight. Eligibility: Children aged 5 to 7 years with obesity or of normal weight. Design: Participants will have clinic visits every 6 months until they reach age 12. Each clinic visit will include these tests and procedures: A physical exam. Collection of blood, urine, and saliva samples. Some samples will be used for genetic tests. Questions about medical history and medications and supplements. A questionnaire about their physical activity over the previous week. A silicone wrist band. Participants will wear a soft wristband for a week prior to each visit. It will tell researchers what chemicals the children were exposed to during that time. Breast ultrasound, for girls. A gel will be applied, and a wand will be pressed against the skin. The wand uses sound waves to see the tissue inside the breast. DXA whole body scan. Once a year, participants will have a DXA (dual energy X-ray absorptiometry) scan. This scan measures the amount of bone, muscle, and fat in the body. Optional food diary. Parents may record everything the participant eats for two 24-hour periods ...
Description
Study Description: This is a longitudinal study to predict pubertal timing in 5-12-year-old girls and boys with obesity. We hypothesize that: 1) Children with obesity with exposure to estrogenic environmental compounds will demonstrate earlier puberty than those without such an exposure. 2) A polygenic risk score (PRS) of alleles that confer risk for voice break in boys will associate with age at Tanner II pubertal development in boys with obesity. 3) A polygenic risk score (PRS) of alleles that confer risk for menarche in girls will associate with age at stage II pubertal development in girl…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 5–12 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- No
* INCLUSION CRITERIA: To be eligible to participate in this study, an individual must meet all of the following criteria: 1. Stated willingness to comply with all study procedures and availability for the duration of the study, including sharing medical records 2. Male or female, aged 5 to 7 years at the screening visit 3. Normal weight (defined as BMI \> 5th percentile and \<85th percentile for age and sex) or Obese weight (defined as BMI \> 95th percentile for age and sex) 4. Ability of parent or guardian to understand and willingness to sign a written informed consent document. And abilit…
Interventions
- BehavioralWeight loss intervention
Pediatric Weight Management Clinic, which utilizes multiple, individualized strategies to effect weight loss (such as nutrition, behavioral therapy, exercise programs)
- BehavioralNo Weight loss intervention
No strategies for weight loss
Location
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Clinical Research UnitResearch Triangle Park, North Carolina