Sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) in children with obesity.

Serum sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) concentration of children with obesity was measured and relationships between SHBG level and body mass index (BMI), waist hip ration (WHR), serum insulin, C-peptide, thyroid hormones (thyroxine--T4, triiodothyronine--T3/ sexual hormones (testosterone--T, oestradiol--E2) were investigated. Significant negative correlations were found between SHBG concentration and BMI, serum insulin, C-peptide concentration; significant positive concentrations were found between BMI and serum insulin, C-peptide concentration. Thyroid hormone and sexual hormones did not associate with SHBG levels. These results suggest that insulin hypersecretion has an important role in determining the reduction of SHBG production in obesity.