J Endocrinol Metab

Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism, ISSN 1923-2861 print, 1923-287X online, Open Access

Article copyright, the authors; Journal compilation copyright, J Endocrinol Metab and Elmer Press Inc

Journal website http://www.jofem.org

Original Article

Volume 2, Number 3, June 2012, pages 105-109

Thyroid Volume Predicts Body Mass Index 2 and 6 Years Later

**Table 1.** Characteristics of SU.VI.MAX Cohort
Variables	Men n = 1,001	Women n = 1,494
Thyroid volume (mL)	14.3 ± 5.5	1,001	9.6 ± 3.7	1,494
TSH (mU/L)	1.7 ± 1.0	1,001	2.2 ± 1.5	1,494
Free T4 (pmol/L)	13.7 ± 1.9	1,001	14.0 ± 1.9	1,494
Weight 2 years after inclusion (kg)	76.3 ± 10.1	1,001	59.8 ± 9.4	1,494
Weight 6 years after inclusion (kg)	78.3 ± 10.6	1,001	61.8 ± 10.2	1,494
Weight change (kg)	2.0 ± 5.1	1,001	2.1 ± 5.6	1,494
BMI 2 years after inclusion (kg/m²)	25.3 ± 2.9	1,001	22.8 ± 3.3	1,494
BMI 6 years after inclusion (kg/m²)	26.0 ± 3.1	1,001	23.6 ±3 .6	1,494
BMI change (kg/m²)	0.7 ± 1.7	1,001	0.8 ± 2.2	1,494
Alcohol Consumption (%)	76.4	994	51.7	1,490
Tobacco Consumption (%)	52.0	965	28.6	1,448

Table 1. Characteristics of SU.VI.MAX Cohort

Variables

Men n = 1,001

Women n = 1,494

Mean ± SD

Thyroid volume (mL)

14.3 ± 5.5

1,001

9.6 ± 3.7

1,494

TSH (mU/L)

1.7 ± 1.0

1,001

2.2 ± 1.5

1,494

Free T4 (pmol/L)

13.7 ± 1.9

1,001

14.0 ± 1.9

1,494

Weight 2 years after inclusion (kg)

76.3 ± 10.1

1,001

59.8 ± 9.4

1,494

Weight 6 years after inclusion (kg)

78.3 ± 10.6

1,001

61.8 ± 10.2

1,494

Weight change (kg)

2.0 ± 5.1

1,001

2.1 ± 5.6

1,494

BMI 2 years after inclusion (kg/m²)

25.3 ± 2.9

1,001

22.8 ± 3.3

1,494

BMI 6 years after inclusion (kg/m²)

26.0 ± 3.1

1,001

23.6 ±3 .6

1,494

BMI change (kg/m²)

0.7 ± 1.7

1,001

0.8 ± 2.2

1,494

Alcohol Consumption (%)

76.4

994

51.7

1,490

Tobacco Consumption (%)

52.0

965

28.6

1,448

**Table 2.** Linear Regression Analysis of BMI 2 and 6 Years After Inclusion With Baseline Characteristics (n = 2,413)
2 years	Men	Women
Age (yr)	0.05	0.02	0.12	< 0.001
TSH (mU/L)	0.05	0.55	0.09	0.12
Free T4 (pmol/L)	-0.08	0.09	0.01	0.77
Thyroid volume (mL)	0.09	< 0.001	0.09	< 0.001
Alcohol consumption (%)	0.42	0.06	0.10	0.54
Tobacco consumption (%)	0.38	0.04	0.30	0.12
Age (yr)	0.04	0.05	0.10	< 0.001
TSH (mU/L)	0.001	0.99	-0.02	0.73
Free T4 (pmol/L)	-0.07	0.17	0.004	0.94
Thyroid volume (mL)	0.10	< 0.001	0.09	< 0.001
Alcohol consumption (%)	0.08	0.74	0.21	0.26
Tobacco consumption (%)	0.44	0.03	0.36	0.09

Table 2. Linear Regression Analysis of BMI 2 and 6 Years After Inclusion With Baseline Characteristics (n = 2,413)

2 years

Men

Women

Beta

P value

Beta

P value

Age (yr)

0.05

0.02

0.12

< 0.001

TSH (mU/L)

0.05

0.55

0.09

0.12

Free T4 (pmol/L)

-0.08

0.09

0.01

0.77

Thyroid volume (mL)

0.09

< 0.001

0.09

< 0.001

Alcohol consumption (%)

0.42

0.06

0.10

0.54

Tobacco consumption (%)

0.38

0.04

0.30

0.12

6 years

Age (yr)

0.04

0.05

0.10

< 0.001

TSH (mU/L)

0.001

0.99

-0.02

0.73

Free T4 (pmol/L)

-0.07

0.17

0.004

0.94

Thyroid volume (mL)

0.10

< 0.001

0.09

< 0.001

Alcohol consumption (%)

0.08

0.74

0.21

0.26

Tobacco consumption (%)

0.44

0.03

0.36

0.09

**Table 3.** Literature Review of Correlation Between Thyroid Volume and Body Weight or BMI
First author, year	Sample Size	Country	Gender	Age (yr)	Subjects with thyroid disease	Iodine status	BMI/Weight	Results
^aMean age in obese/non-obese group; ^bMean age in monozygotic twins/dizygotic twins/opposite sex twins.
Hegedus, 1983 [1]	271	Denmark	Both	16 - 91	Excluded	Borderline iodine-deficient	Weight	β = 0.21, P < 0.001
Berghout, 1987 [10]	50	Netherland	Males	20 - 70	Excluded	Iodine-replete	Weight	r = 0.34, P = 0.05
Barrere, 2000 [2]	2987	France	Both	Women (35 - 60) Men (45 - 60)	Excluded	Borderline iodine-deficient	BMI	Males β = 0.02 (P = 0.0001) Females β = 0.007 (P = 0.005)
Gomez, 2000 [3]	268	Spain	Both	15 - 70	Excluded	Iodine-replete	BMI and weight	BMI (r = 0.13, P = 0.02) Weight (r = 0.39, P = 0.0001)
Semiz, 2001 [5]	605	Turkey	Both	6 – 11	Not available	Mild-moderate iodine-deficient	BMI and weight	BMI (r = 0.13, P < 0.001) Weight (r = 0.3, P < 0.001)
Sari, 2003 [8]	129	Turkey	Females	40.5 ±11.4 38.6 ±12.9^a	Excluded	Mild-moderate iodine-deficient	BMI and weight	BMI (r = 0.50, P < 0.001) Weight (r = 0.32, P = 0.002)
Hansen, 2004 [11]	520	Denmark twins	Both	33.7 ±11.7 36.4 ±11.5 33.7 ±11^b	Excluded	Borderline iodine-deficient	BMI	Males (r = 0.03, P = 0.003) females (r = 0.02, P < 0.001)
Boyanov, 2004 [12]	212	Bulgaria	Both	11 - 15	All euthyroid	Iodine-replete	BMI and weight	BMI (males r = 0.26, females r = 0.16) Weight (males r = 0.35, females r = 0.43) All: P < 0.05
Kaloumenou, 2007 [13]	440	Greece	Males	5 - 18	Not available	Iodine-replete	BMI	r = 0.17, P = 0.023

Table 3. Literature Review of Correlation Between Thyroid Volume and Body Weight or BMI

First author, year

Sample Size

Country

Gender

Age (yr)

Subjects with thyroid disease

Iodine status

BMI/Weight

Results

^aMean age in obese/non-obese group; ^bMean age in monozygotic twins/dizygotic twins/opposite sex twins.

Hegedus, 1983 [1]

271

Denmark

Both

16 - 91

Excluded

Borderline iodine-deficient

Weight

β = 0.21, P < 0.001

Berghout, 1987 [10]

Netherland

Males

20 - 70

Excluded

Iodine-replete

Weight

r = 0.34, P = 0.05

Barrere, 2000 [2]

2987

France

Both

Women (35 - 60)
Men (45 - 60)

Excluded

Borderline iodine-deficient

BMI

Males β = 0.02 (P = 0.0001)
Females β = 0.007 (P = 0.005)

Gomez, 2000 [3]

268

Spain

Both

15 - 70

Excluded

Iodine-replete

BMI and weight

BMI (r = 0.13, P = 0.02)
Weight (r = 0.39, P = 0.0001)

Semiz, 2001 [5]

605

Turkey

Both

6 – 11

Not available

Mild-moderate iodine-deficient

BMI and weight

BMI (r = 0.13, P < 0.001)
Weight (r = 0.3, P < 0.001)

Sari, 2003 [8]

129

Turkey

Females

40.5 ±11.4
38.6 ±12.9^a

Excluded

Mild-moderate iodine-deficient

BMI and weight

BMI (r = 0.50, P < 0.001)
Weight (r = 0.32, P = 0.002)

Hansen, 2004 [11]

520

Denmark
twins

Both

33.7 ±11.7
36.4 ±11.5
33.7 ±11^b

Excluded

Borderline iodine-deficient

BMI

Males (r = 0.03, P = 0.003)
females (r = 0.02, P < 0.001)

Boyanov, 2004 [12]

212

Bulgaria

Both

11 - 15

All euthyroid

Iodine-replete

BMI and weight

BMI (males r = 0.26, females r = 0.16)
Weight (males r = 0.35, females r = 0.43)
All: P < 0.05

Kaloumenou, 2007 [13]

440

Greece

Males

5 - 18

Not available

Iodine-replete

BMI

r = 0.17, P = 0.023