Obese Children Risk Thyroid Damage

Last Wednesday, Italian researchers reported that excess weight in children may be causing thyroid damage. Before this research, obesity was often blamed on a slow metabolism and insufficient thyroid hormones, not the other way around. These results further prove that falling into the overweight category will make for a vicous cycle of weight gain and health problems.

The study evaluated 186 overweight children for a period of three years. Results showed 73 of these children had inflamed thyroids. Generally, thyroid inflammation is significant of Hashimoto's disease, an autoimmune disease where the body attacks the thyroid. But the antibodies necessary for this diagnosis were not present.

Obesity causes an increase in leptin, a hormone produced from fat cells that regulates appetite and metabolism. Leptin levels are proportional to adipose stores. Leptin plays a role in the inflammatory response of the immune system, so it makes sense that increased levels of leptin would cause an inflammed thyroid.

The thyroid controls the equilibrium of the body, from the metabolism to body heat control. Multiple hormones, including sex hormones, are also controlled by the thyroid. The thyroid gland also produces calcitonin, which helps regualte blood calcium levels. The good news with this breaking research is that thyroid health can be restored with weight loss. EB Nutrition already employs this principle. We work with patients to maximize metabolism, which inlcudes improving thyroid function, in order to lose weight. We focus on foods and exercise appropriate for thyroid health.

On a side not, this research is very close to home- the Endocrine Society (http://www.endo-society.org/), which publishes the Jounal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, is located in Chevy Chase, Maryland.