Thyroid Dysfunction in Obese Children in Jeonju, Korea

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate thyroid dysfunction in obese children in Korea. METHOD: We measured body mass index and thyroid hormone in obese, overweight, and normal weight children who visited a pediatric clinic in Jeonju, Korea, from January 2009 to September 2012. RESULTS: The free thyroxoine (FT4) level of the obese group (16.35 +/- 2.79 pmol/L) was lower than levels of the overweight (17.65 +/- 2.31 pmol/L) and normal weight (17.28 +/- 2.35 pmol/L; P=0.012) groups. The average value of FT4 in severely obese children (15.71 +/- 1.68 pmol/L) was lower than those of mildly and moderately obese children (16.40 +/- 2.88 pmol/L). We found no significant difference in thyroid stimulating hormone level between the obese group and normal weight group. CONCLUSION: The FT4 level is lower in obese children than in normal weight children.