Stage of breast development in girls during 4 years of follow-up, n^*(%).

<p>Stage of breast development in girls during 4 years of follow-up, n^{<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0134656#t002fn004" target="_blank">*</a>}(%).</p

Association of Obesity with Onset of Puberty and Sex Hormones in Chinese Girls: A 4-Year Longitudinal Study

<div><p>Objective</p><p>To examine the influence of childhood obesity on the early onset of puberty and sex hormones in girls.</p><p>Methods</p><p>Healthy girls with different percentages of body fat at baseline (40 obese, 40 normal, and 40 lean) were recruited from three elementary schools in Shenyang, China. These girls (mean age 8.5 years) were also matched by height, school grade, Tanner stage, and family economic status at baseline. Anthropometry, puberty characteristics, and sex hormone concentrations were measured at baseline and at each follow-up visit. The generalized estimating equation model and analysis of variance for repeated measures using a generalized linear model were used to determine the differences in puberty characteristics and sex hormones among three groups.</p><p>Results</p><p>Over 4 years, mean age of breast II onset was earlier among obese girls (8.8 years) than normal girls (9.2 years) and lean girls (9.3 years). The prevalence (%) of early-maturation in the obese, normal, and lean groups was 25.9%, 11.1%, and 7.4%, respectively. Obesity was associated with an increased risk for breast stage II (year 2: RR, 6.3; 95% CI, 1.9–21.1 and year 3: RR, 6.9; 95% CI, 0.8–60.1). None of the girls experienced menarche in the first year; however, by the fourth year 50.0% of obese girls had menarche onset, which was higher than normal weight (27.5%) and lean girls (8.1%). The mean estradiol level increased with age in the obese, normal, and lean groups. The mean estradiol concentration was higher in obese girls than in normal and lean girls throughout the 4-year period (<i>P</i><0.05).</p><p>Conclusions</p><p>Childhood obesity contributes to early onset of puberty and elevated levels of estradiol in girls.</p></div

Generalized Linear Model (GLM) for repeated measures: estradiol and testosterone by baseline group status.

<p>Generalized Linear Model (GLM) for repeated measures: estradiol and testosterone by baseline group status.</p

Changes in estradiol levels in girls in the 4 years.

<p>a: The trend level of estradiol in obese girls was significantly higher than that in normal weight girls (<i>P</i> = 0.043). b: The trend level of estradiol in obese girls was significantly higher than that in lean girls (<i>P</i> = 0.003).</p

Changes in testosterone levels in girls in the 4 years.

<p>a: The testosterone level in obese girls was significantly higher than that in the normal girls (<i>P</i> = 0.04).</p

Characteristics of study population at baseline (n = 120, 40/group).

<p>Characteristics of study population at baseline (n = 120, 40/group).</p

Relative Risks and 95% Confidence Intervals for being breast II and above during the 4 years.

<p>Relative Risks and 95% Confidence Intervals for being breast II and above during the 4 years.</p

Depot-specific inflammation with decreased expression of ATM2 in white adipose tissues induced by high-margarine/lard intake

<div><p>A high-fat diet has been recognized as an important risk factor of obesity, with variable impacts of different fatty acid compositions on the physiological process. To understand the effects of a high-margarine/lard diet, which is a major source of trans fatty acids (TFAs)/ saturated fatty acids (SFAs), elaidic acid as a biomarker of margarine intake was used to screen affected adipokines on mature human adipocytes in vitro. Weaned male Wistar rats were fed a high-fat diet enriched with margarine/lard to generate obesity-prone (OP) and obesity-resistant (OR) models, which were then used to explore the inflammatory responses of depot-specific white adipose tissue. Adiposity, glucose and lipid metabolism parameters and macrophage cell markers were also compared in vivo. In the subcutaneous depot, a high-margarine diet induced elevated IL-6, MCP-1 and XCL1 expression levels in both M-OP and M-OR groups. High-lard diet-fed rats displayed higher protein expression levels of MCP-1 and XCL1 compared with the control group. In the epididymal depot, significantly elevated IL-6 production was observed in M-OP rats, and high-lard diet-fed rats displayed elevated IL-6 and decreased XCL1 expression. In the retroperitoneal depot, a high-margarine diet caused higher IL-6 and MCP-1 expression levels, a high-lard diet caused elevated IL-6 expression in L-OP/L-OR rats, and elevated XCL1 expression was observed only in L-OP rats. In general, CD206 mRNA levels were notably down-regulated by high-fat diet feeding in the above-mentioned depots. CD11c mRNA levels were slightly upregulated in the subcutaneous depot of OP rats fed a high-margarine/lard diet. In the epidydimal depot, higher expression levels of F4/80 and CD206 mRNA were observed only in high-margarine diet-fed OP rats. These results suggest that depot-specific inflammation with decreased expression of adipose tissue anti-inflammatory M2-type (ATM2) macrophages could be induced by high-margarine/lard intake.</p></div

Macronutrient profiles and energy content of the diets (g/kg).

<p>Macronutrient profiles and energy content of the diets (g/kg).</p

Comparison of serum lipid and glucose metabolism measurements of rats fed with high-lard/margarine diets.

<p>Comparison of serum lipid and glucose metabolism measurements of rats fed with high-lard/margarine diets.</p