Changes in brown adipose tissue in boys and girls during childhood and puberty

Abstract

Objective: To characterize the changes in brown adipose tissue (BAT) occurring during puberty in boys and girls.

Study design: We examined the prevalence and the volume of BAT at different stages of sexual development in 73 pediatric patients who underwent positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) studies.

Results: Of the 73 patients studied, 43 (59%) had BAT depicted on PET/CT. The presence of BAT was detected significantly less frequently on PET/CT in prepubertal subjects (Tanner stage 1) than in pubertal subjects (Tanner stages 2-5) (15% vs 75%). BAT volume also increased during puberty, with a significantly greater magnitude of the increase in the final 2 stages of puberty (Tanner stages 4 and 5) than in earlier stages (Tanner stages 1-3) (boys: 499 ± 246 vs 50 ± 36, P < .0001; girls: 286 ± 139 vs 36 ± 29, P = .024). Changes in BAT volume were also significantly greater in boys than in girls (P = .004) and were closely related to muscle volume (r = 0.52, P < .01 for boys; r = 0.64, P < .01 for girls).

Conclusion: The presence and volume of BAT increase rapidly during puberty. Metabolic and hormonal events related to the achievement of sexual maturity are likely responsible for this increase.