Negative relationships between growth in height and levels of cholesterol in puberty: a 3-year follow-up study

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Previously, there were only a few reports on the negative relationship between pubertal growth in height and levels of serum lipid in boys. Detailed information on both genders is needed. METHODS: We investigated the relationship between pubertal growth in height and serum lipid. Subjects were 1442 boys and 1350 girls followed up from age 10-11 years (the fifth grade level of elementary school) to age 13-14 years (the second year of junior high school). Anthropometric variables and serum lipids were measured by the same protocol at both ages. RESULTS: From cross-sectional analysis, at both ages negative relationships between total cholesterol levels and height were found in both genders. On longitudinal analysis, height at age 10-11 years was one of the factors predicting the level of total cholesterol at age 13-14 years. In addition, negative relationships between increase in height and change in serum lipids (total cholesterol and high density lipoprotein cholesterol) over the 3-year period were obtained in both genders. Thus, pubertal children who experience a large increase in height tended to show a decrease in serum lipids, and children who experience a small increase in height tended to show an increase in serum lipids. CONCLUSION: In both genders, total cholesterol level in pubertal children is negatively associated with height. Height velocity is inversely associated with dynamic changes in serum lipids during puberty.