Childhood Obesity - Do you have an overweight child? We offer tips to help your child lose weight and get fit!

The My Overweight Child blog will help you keep informed about the latest research, findings, and resources available to parents of overweight or obese kids. There are many knowledgeable people working on the increasingly dire problem of childhood obesity - and we want to give parents a place where they can check in regularly to see the latest studies and tips available to help you help your child lose weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

We invite you to add your comments - if you have feedback for the blog, would like some specific topics covered, or you just want to share your experience as a parent dealing with childhood obesity.

Thursday, July 06, 2006

Teen Obesity and Hormone Disorder

There is yet another reason to help your daughter to maintain a healthy weight as she enters puberty: hyperandrogenemia. This condition is one in which there is an abnormally high amount of androgens, a type of steroid hormone - and girls who are obese as they enter puberty have an increased risk of developing it.

The authors of a recent study on obesity and hyperandrogenemia, reported in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, hope that their findings will help to increase awareness of the link between obesity and this hormonal disorder. Because androgens control the development of masculine characteristics, girls who have hyperandrogenemia may have irregular or delayed periods and excessive facial hair. They are also more likely to develop polycystic ovary syndrome later in life, which is a condition that affects fertility.

Labels: obese teens

Posted By: Lori S