Obesity Is Strongly Associated With Low Testosterone and Reduced Penis Growth During Development
| Autor: | Franco Folli, M Salvioni, Alice Andreassi, Gianna Mantellassi, Giuseppe Banderali, Francesca Pecori Giraldi, Mario Mancini, Cesare Berra, Roberto Manfrini |
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| Rok vydání: | 2021 |
| Předmět: |
Adult
Male medicine.medical_specialty Pediatric Obesity Adolescent Endocrinology Diabetes and Metabolism Clinical Biochemistry Physiology Context (language use) Overweight Endocrine System Diseases Biochemistry Childhood obesity Young Adult Endocrinology Internal medicine medicine Humans Sex organ Testosterone Longitudinal Studies Child business.industry Biochemistry (medical) Infant Newborn Infant Testosterone (patch) Anthropometry medicine.disease Prognosis Obesity medicine.anatomical_structure Cross-Sectional Studies Italy Child Preschool medicine.symptom business Penis Follow-Up Studies |
| Zdroj: | The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism. 106(11) |
| ISSN: | 1945-7197 |
| Popis: | Context Growth of male genitalia represents an important marker of sexual development. Testicle size is the primary measure and little is known regards penile length changes during puberty. Objective This work aims to assess penis growth and testosterone levels in obese vs normal-weight children and adolescents, to evaluate a possible influence of obesity on genital development in boys, and to establish a new method for measuring penis length that allows comparison of normal-weight and overweight boys. Methods We assessed anthropometric and genital development in 1130 boys from birth to age 20 years. Testosterone levels were also measured. A new method for penile length measurement was employed to minimize errors when comparing obese and nonobese children. Penis length was measured with a gentle, painless, straight positioning on a centimetric ruler without stretching, which is doable from the first years of life until the end of adolescence. Results Penis length and testosterone are strongly related in children during puberty. Penile length growth is significantly decreased (by about 10%) in obese boys when compared to normal-weight boys, with concomitantly reduced testosterone levels, across puberal phases. Conclusion Childhood obesity represents an important determinant of lower testosterone level and reduced penis development. A new method should be employed to improve penis measurement in normal-weight and overweight/obese boys. The possible significance of these observations for adult genital development and reproductive potential will require large longitudinal studies. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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