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

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.