Association between Thyroid Function and Body Mass Index: A 10-Year Follow-Up

Abstract

Background/aims: We aimed to evaluate the association between change in thyroid function tests within the euthyroid range and body mass index (BMI) in persons with normal weight at baseline.

Methods: This study investigated 1,100 normal-weight euthyroid persons in a population-based cohort study, Tehran Thyroid Study. BMI was calculated and serum concentrations of thyrotropin (TSH) and free T4 (FT4) were assayed at baseline and after 10 years of follow-up. We evaluated the relationship between thyroid and obesity based on 2 definitions for outcome: (1) a binary outcome as BMI <25 or ≥25 kg/m2, and (2) a multinomial outcome as normal BMI, overweight, and obese.

Results: A total of 569 women and 531 men, aged 36.3 ± 13.5 years, were included. Modified Poisson regression analysis for binary outcome, after adjustment for age, sex, smoking, and anti-thyroid peroxidase antibody status, revealed a negative association between delta serum FT4 and follow-up BMI (relative risk 0.55 [95% CI 0.37-0.80]) without any significant association between change in serum TSH and follow-up BMI. However, in multinomial logistic regression analysis, we found no relationship between delta serum FT4 or TSH and follow-up BMI categories, for either overweight or obese vs. normal-weight participants.

Conclusions: In normal-weight euthyroid individuals, changes in serum concentrations of FT4, but not TSH, may contribute to change in body weight.

Keywords: Body mass index; Free thyroxine; Thyroid; Thyrotropin.