Analysis of the Relationship between Nutritional Status and Bone Age and Sexual Development in Children and Adolescents

Abstract

Purpose. To observe the correlation between nutritional status, bone age, and sexual development in children and adolescents. Methods. 895 children and adolescents who underwent physical examination in the growth and development clinic and height clinic of our hospital from 2019 to 2021 were selected as the research objects. The subjects were divided into emaciation group, normal group, overweight group, and obesity group. The bone age level, bone age assessment, sexual development, and early maturity rate of each group were compared. Results. The bone age difference (BAD) of the overweight and obesity groups was higher than that of the normal group, and the BAD of the obesity group was higher than that of the emaciation group ( $P<0.05$ ). Compared with the normal group, the risk of advancement of bone age in the overweight group increased by 2.674 times (male) and 1.908 times (female), the risk of advancement of bone age in the obesity group increased by 6.376 times (male) and 14.687 times (female), the risk of retardation of bone age in the emaciation group increased by 2.150 times (male) and 3.092 times (female). Whether it was male or female, the sexual development of overweight and obese was higher than that of the normal weight group in the same age group. Among female children, the sexual precocious puberty rate of the overweight + obesity group is higher. Conclusion. The nutritional status of children and adolescents is closely related to their bone age and sexual development.