STATURE AND OVERWEIGHT IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS.: 451

Background Overweight in childhood has been associated with accelerated linear growth in prepubertal children. Childhood obesity increases the risk for adult short stature. Objectives To compare stature in a group of overweight children and adolescents with CDC 2000 growth charts for normal weight. Methods This study includes baseline anthropometric data from 416 patients with a body mass index ≥ 95 th percentile, in good health except for their obesity, referred to our lifestyle modification program. Study population was divided into two age groups: A, 8 to 11 years, and B, 12 to 16 years. Stature-for-age Z -score (zstatage) was used for comparisons. Results Group A was composed of 206 subjects, mean age 10.2 ± 1.1 years, and group B of 210 subjects; both groups were similar in ethnic distribution (Hispanic, 53%; Caucasian, 24%; African American, 11%; and other races, 12%). Boys and girls from group A were significantly taller than their normal-weight peers. In group B only boys were significantly taller than their normal weight peers. Data are summarized in the table. Conclusion In these overweight pediatric patients the mean stature-for-age z -score for height was statistically higher in all subgroups except in girls 12 to 16 years, suggesting that body mass index is not negatively impacting the linear growth.