Obesity associated hypogonadism
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Understanding the effects of excessive weight on gonadal development and function in males with childhood obesity.
IRAS ID
345999
Contact name
Nils P Krone
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Sheffield Children's Hospital
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 11 months, 31 days
Research summary
An increasing number of children and young persons (CYP) are living with obesity in the United Kingdom and world-wide. Of the male patients with obesity, 75% experience abnormal testicular development and function with reduced fertility in adult life. At the moment, the underlying cause of this problems is not well understood. Due to the lack of understanding of underlying mechanisms no specific tests are routinely used by doctors to assess the risk of such problems developing in time or to estimate how weight loss and treatment influence their progress. We want to conduct research that will lead to better understating of the mechanisms through which obesity affects testicular development and function. Thereby, we will be able to develop better tests that will help to specifically predict gonadal function and address at an early stage the risk male fertility problems in adult life. We will recruit patients with obesity aged 12-18 years, as well as healthy individuals for comparison, and assess their weight, puberty progress, testicular development and function over 2 years of undergoing weight loss treatment. We will also measure a number of hormones in their blood and urine, as well as other blood substances related to hormones actions and metabolism, that are thought to be involved in the development of fertility problems in obese patients. We will analyse all these measurements to gain better understanding of how hormonal and metabolic factors interact in patients with obesity and how they influence the testicular development and function. We will use this knowledge to develop tests that will help doctors guide the treatment in order to minimize the risk of patients having reduced fertility and abnormal hormone profiles.
REC name
South West - Frenchay Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
25/SW/0016
Date of REC Opinion
20 May 2025
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion