Body fat in children does not adversely influence bone development: a 7-year longitudinal study (EarlyBird 18)

作者：Streeter A J^*; Hosking J; Metcalf B S; Jeffery A N; Voss L D; Wilkin T J

来源：Pediatric Obesity, 2013, 8(6): 418-427.

DOI：10.1111/j.2047-6310.2012.00126.x

• Body fat
• bone
• longitudinal
• puberty

ObjectiveBone growth is an important determinant of peak bone mass and fracture risk, but there is limited data on the impact of fat-on-bone development at a time when childhood obesity is reaching epidemic proportions. Accordingly, we explored the effect of body fat (BF) on bone growth over time in the context of age, pubertal tempo and gender.
MethodA cohort of 307 children was measured biannually from 9-16 years for height and weight, and every 12 months for percent BF, bone area (BA), bone mineral content and areal bone mineral density (aBMD) by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Pubertal tempo was determined quantitatively by age at peak height velocity.
ResultsPercent BF increased and then fell in the boys, but increased throughout in the girls. aBMD and BA increased in both genders (P<0.001). Greater BF was associated with higher aBMD and BA in girls (P<0.001), but only BA in boys (P<0.001). The extra aBMD associated with increased BF was greater in older girls. The rise in aBMD and BA was associated with earlier puberty in both genders (P<0.001). The impact of BF on aBMD was greater in later puberty in girls (0.0025gcm(-2) per 10% BF at 10 years versus 0.016gcm(-2) per 10% BF at 14 years, P<0.001).
ConclusionGreater BF is associated with larger bones, but also denser bones in girls. The effects of fat and puberty are complex and gender specific, but BF of contemporary UK children does not appear to be deleterious to bone quality.

• 出版日期2013-12