Lower levels of a hormone might be the reason teenagers become prone to gaining weight unhealthily. One of the study authors, Seema Kumar from Mayo Clinic Children's Centre in Minnesota, US, said, “Our study is the first to look at levels of spexin in the pediatric population. Previous research has found reduced levels of this hormone in adults with obesity. Overall, our findings suggest spexin may play a role in weight gain, beginning at an early age.”
Published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, spexin levels of 51 obese and 18 tenagers of normal weights between ages 12 and 18, were studied. Participants with lowest levels of the hormone were five times more prone to obesity than those with the highest level.
“It is noteworthy that we see such clear differences in spexin levels between obese and normal weight adolescents. Since this is a cross-sectional study, more research is needed to explore the physiological significance of spexin, how it may be involved in the development of childhood obesity, and whether it can be used to treat or manage the condition.”
