Abstract

Background and Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the role of selenium intake on the correlation between obesity and sex hormone levels in children and adolescents. Methods and Study Design: Children and adolescents (6-19-year-old) with complete body mass index (BMI), selenium intake, and sex hormone level data were included. Applying weighted linear regression model to analyze the relationships of obesity and selenium intake with testosterone, estradiol, and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) levels. Then, interaction terms for different selenium intake levels (<Q1, ≥Q1) and obesity (no, yes) were constructed, to investigate the moderating effect of selenium intake on the correlation between obesity and sex hormones. Results: A total of 3,380 participants were enrolled. Although selenium intake showed no direct relationship with testosterone, estradiol, or SHBG levels in any group (p > 0.05), it demonstrated a significant interaction with obesity in terms of sex hormone levels. In females aged less than 12 years, there was an interaction between obesity and selenium intake on testosterone levels (p_interaction = 0.007). The interaction of obesity and selenium intake on SHBG levels was observed in both males and females (all p_interaction <0.001). Moreover, a trend was observed for the effects of these interaction terms on testosterone, estradiol and SHBG levels (all p_trend <0.05). Conclusions: Selenium intake may play a moderating effect in the relationship between obesity and sex hormones.

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