The new study suggests the need for further investigation into the causal relationship between the timing of sexual maturation and development of obesity as well as the influence of behavioral, social and environmental factors on gender differences, Wang said. His study, he noted, is based on cross-sectional data and cannot test causality.
In a wealthy society like the United States, attitudes and expectations toward body weight are different for females and males, Wang notes. Thinness is considered desirable and attractive for females; bigness and full musculature are considered attractive for males. According to Wang, these factors may contribute to differences in adolescents' eating behaviors, body images, and exercise patterns, all of which might play a role in the association between sexual maturation and obesity.
The World Health Organization has identified the increase of obesity in children and adolescents as a major public health concern in the United States and worldwide, and Wang says further understanding of the relationship between sexual maturity and obesity has important clinical implications.
"It can help refine and develop appropriate measurement references," he said. "And it can help guide us in employing more effective methods and resources used in preventing and managing childhood and adolescent obesity."
Wang's study was funded by UIC. The journal is published by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
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Contact: Nan Hoffman
nanhoff@uic.edu
312-355-2954
University of Illinois at Chicago
4-Nov-2002