Effect of body mass index on the growth hormone response to clonidine stimulation testing in children with short stature.

Objectives: An inverse relationship has been shown between body mass index (BMI) and the peak growth hormone (GH) response to stimulation in adults and in children with short stature. This relation is observed even within a normal range of BMI. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of BMI on the GH response to clonidine in a large number of children with short stature.

Thyroid function in obese children and adolescents.

Objective: Obesity is frequently associated with modifications of thyroid size and function. We evaluated the prevalence of thyroid function abnormalities and the effects of puberty and weight loss in obese children and adolescents.

Methods: We examined 468 obese children (255 girls and 213 boys aged 3.