OBJECTIVE : The aim of this study was tocompare femoral shaft and intertrochanteric geometryin overweight and normal weight adolescent girls.METHODS AND RESULTS : This study included 22 overweight(Body mass index (BMI) > 25 kg/m2) adolescentgirls (15.4 ± 2.4 years old) and 20 maturation-matched(15.2 ± 1.9 years old) controls (BMI < 25 kg/m2). Bodycomposition and BMD were assessed by dual-energyX-ray absorptiometry (DXA). To evaluate bone geometry,DXA scans were analyzed at the femoral shaftand the intertrochanteric region by the Hip StructureAnalysis (HSA) program. Cross-sectional area (CSA),an index of axial compression strength, section modulus(Z), an index of bending strength, cross-sectionalmoment of inertia (CSMI), cortical thickness (CT) andbuckling ratio (BR) were measured from bone massprofiles. Lean mass, body weight, fat mass and BMIwere higher in overweight girls compared to controls(p < 0.001). CSA, Z, CSMI and CT were higher in overweightgirls compared to controls (p < 0.05) at the tworegions (femoral shaft and intertrochanteric). Afteradjustment for maturation index (years since menarche),CSA, Z, CSMI and CT of the intertrochantericregion and CSA of the femoral shaft were higher inoverweight girls compared to controls (p < 0.05). Afteradjustment for either body weight, lean mass or BMI,using a one-way analysis of covariance (ANCOVA),there were no differences between the two groups(overweight and controls) regarding the HSA variables(CSA, CSMI, Z, CT and BR) at the femoral shaft andthe intertrochanteric.CONCLUSION : This study suggests that overweighadolescent girls have greater indices of bone axial andbending strength in comparison to controls at the intertrochantericafter adjustment for maturation index.