Research on how excess weight influences puberty in boys has shown conflicting results, with some studies linking obesity to earlier development and others reporting delayed maturation. To clarify this relationship, researchers conducted a meta-analysis of 12 prospective cohort studies examining the effect of overweight and obesity on key markers of male pubertal development. The analysis found that both overweight and obese boys were more likely to experience early testicular enlargement than boys of normal weight (overweight RR 1.38; obese RR 1.43).
This association was particularly strong in boys aged six years and older. When the timing of development was examined, overweight boys tended to reach early testicular enlargement sooner than their normal-weight peers, while no significant difference in timing was observed for obese boys. A similar trend was seen with pubic hair…
