Correlation of bone age development with overweight and obesity in 23,305 children from Beijing

The aim of this study was to observe the influence of differential nutritional status on bone age (BA) change according to body mass index (BMI) and analyze the risk of advanced bone age in children with overweight and obesity.

In total 23,305 children from Beijing were included in this cross-sectional study. Childhood overweight and obesity were defined according to the China and World Health Organization growth criteria. The data were analyzed by the R coding platform version 4.3.0.

Under the Chinese criteria, 29%, 15%, and 4% of boys with overweight; 33%, 33%, and 3% of boys with obesity; 39%, 25%, and 2% of girls with overweight; and 37%, 42% and 1% of girls with obesity had advanced, significantly advanced and delayed BA, respectively. After adjustment, overweight (odds ratio, 95% confidence interval, P under the Chinese criteria: 2.52, 2.30–2.75, <0.001 and 4.54, 4.06–5.09, <0.001) and obesity (4.31, 3.85–4.82, <0.001 and 14.01, 12.39–15.85, <0.001) were risk factors for both advanced BA and significantly advanced BA.

Different nutritional statuses lead to differences in children’s BA development. Children with overweight and obesity have higher rates of advanced BA under two growth criteria, and girls have more advances in BA than boys do. Overweight and obesity are risk factors for advanced BA.