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Background: The prevalence of obesity among children in the United States represents a pool of latent morbidity. Though the prevalence of obesity has increased in both boys and girls, the causes and consequences differ between the sexes. Thus, interventions proposed to treat and prevent childhood obesity will need to account for these differences.Objective: This review examines gender differences in the presentation of obesity in children and describes environmental, hormonal, and factors that contribute to observed gender differences.Methods: A search of peer-reviewed, published literature was performed with PubMed for articles published from January 1974 through October 2008. Search terms used were obesity, sex, gender, hormones, family environment, body composition, adiposity, and genes. Studies of children aged 0 to 18 years were included, and only articles published in English were reviewed for consideration. Articles that illustrated gender differences in either the presentation or underlying mechanisms of obesity in children were reviewed for content, and their bibliographies were used to identify other relevant literature.Results: Gender differences in childhood obesity have been understudied partially because of how we define the categories of overweight and obesity. Close examination of studies revealed that gender differences were common, both before and during puberty. Boys and girls differ in body composition, patterns of weight gain, hormone biology, and the susceptibility to certain social, ethnic, genetic, and environmental factors.Conclusion: Our understanding of how gender differences in pediatric populations relate to the pathogenesis of obesity and the subsequent development of associated comorbid states is critical to developing and implementing both therapeutic and preventive interventions. (Gend Med. 2009;6rTheme Issue]:7685) © Excerpta Medica Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Most studies of hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) function in illicit drug users either focus on men or do not consider the impact of HIV.Objective: This study investigated the relationships between cocaine and/or opiate use, HIV status, and HPG function in both men and women.Methods: Men and women between 18 and 50 years of age were stratified by sex, drug use, and HIV status. Information on demographics, HIV disease and treatment, and illicit drug use patterns was collected. To determine potential effects on HPG function, free testosterone (free T), estradiol, and gonadotropin concentrations were measured.Results: In a total of 197 men and women, free T concentrations were lower in men who used cocaine and/or opiates and in women infected with HIV. Gonadotropin concentrations were elevated in seropositive men only. In women who received highly active antiretroviral therapy, HIV infection and illicit drug use had an additive or synergistic impact on free T concentrations.Conclusions: Our data reveal the importance of considering the independent effects of illicit drug use and HIV status for both men and women, so that risks may be identified and potential treatments designed for HPG dysfunction in these groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]