Achieving the protection of high peak bone mass

Acquisition of peak bone mass in a Norwegian youth cohort: longitudinal findings from the Fit Futures study 2010-2022

In a Norwegian youth cohort followed from adolescence to young adulthood, bone mineral density (BMD) levels declined at the femoral neck and total hip from 16 to 27 years but continued to increase at the total body indicating a site-specific attainment of peak bone mass.

PURPOSE

To examine longitudinal trends in bone mineral density (BMD) levels in Norwegian adolescents into young adulthood.

METHOD

In a prospective cohort design, we followed 980 adolescents (473 (48%) females) aged 16-19 years into adulthood (age of 26-29) on three occasions: 2010-2011 (Fit Futures 1 (FF1)), 2012-2013 (FF2), and 2021-2022 (FF3), measuring BMD (g/cm2) at the femoral neck, total hip, and total body with dual x-ray absorptiometry (DXA). We used linear mixed models to examine longitudinal BMD changes from FF1 to FF3.

RESULTS

From the median age of 16 years (FF1), femoral neck BMD (mean g/cm2 (95% CI)) slightly increased in females from 1.070 (1.059-1.082) to 1.076 (1.065-1.088, p = 0.015) at the median age of 18 years (FF2) but declined to 1.041 (1.029-1.053, p < 0.001) at the median age of 27 years (FF3). Similar patterns were observed in males: 16 years, 1.104 (1.091-1.116); 27 years, 1.063 (1.050-1.077, p < 0.001); and for the total hip in both sexes (both p < 0.001). Total body BMD increased from age 16 to 27 years in both sexes (females: 16 years, 1.141 (1.133-1.148); 27 years, 1.204 (1.196-1.212), p < 0.001; males: 16 years, 1.179 (1.170-1.188); 27 years, 1.310 (1.296-1.315), p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

BMD levels increased from 16 to 18 years at the femoral and total hip sites in young Norwegian females and males, and a small decline was observed at the femoral sites when the participants were followed up to 27 years. Total body BMD continued to increase from adolescence to young adulthood.

Linear growth and relative weight gain in childhood and bone mass in adolescence: findings from the Pelotas (Brazil) 2004 birth cohort

With the objective to investigate the relationship of weight and height growth with bone mass at 11 years, we found that boys who grew in weight and height, especially at 48 months, and girls, who grew in weight at 24 months and height at 11 years, gained more bone mass.

PURPOSE

To investigate independent relationships of linear growth and relative weight gain during defined periods of infancy, childhood, and early adolescence with areal bone mineral density (aBMD) of three sites at 11 years.

METHODS

Data on weight and length/height were obtained at birth, 3, 12, and 24 months, and the ages of 4, 6, and 11. The outcome was whole body, femoral neck, and lumbar spine aBMD (g/cm2) measured at 11 years using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. The effects of weight gain and linear growth were analyzed using conditional relative weight and conditional length/height. Associations between conditional growth and outcomes were analyzed using linear regression, adjusted for multiple confounders.

RESULTS

Individuals with data available for exposures and bone outcomes were 2875 and comprised the sample. For boys, the greatest magnitude of increase for whole body and height gain was at 48 months (β 0.014, 95% CI 0.010; 0.018). For girls, higher aBMD was observed for those with greater height gain at 11 years, representing for lumbar spine an increase of 0.056 g/cm2 (95% CI 0.050; 0.062). For body weight, among boys, the greatest magnitude in the whole body was also associated with weight gain at 48 months (β 0.014, 95% CI 0.010; 0.018). For girls, the highest coefficient was at 24 months, representing for lumbar spine an increase of 0.028 g/cm2, (95% CI 0.021; 0.035).

CONCLUSION

Positive associations were demonstrated between length/height and weight gain and aBMD in both sexes, with emphasis on girls' aBMD in response to the linear growth achieved mainly at 11 years.

Dietary docosahexaenoic acid contributes to increased bone mineral accretion and strength in young female Sprague-Dawley rats

Growing evidence suggests that docosahexaenoic acid (DHA: 22:6n-3) enhances bone mineral content (BMC) and bone mineral density (BMD) in adulthood and during aging, however the effects during and after sexual maturation are unclear. The aim of this study was to examine the dose-response of BMC, BMD and microarchitectural properties of bone to dietary DHA in healthy growing female rats during acquisition of peak bone mass (PBM). Female Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 12/diet) were randomized to receive a control diet (AIN-93 M, 60 g soybean oil/kg diet) or an experimental diet containing 0.1, 0.4, 0.8 and 1.2% DHA (w/w of total diet) for 10 weeks. Dietary DHA increased the whole body, lumbar spine and long bone BMC compared to the control, in addition to higher aBMD and also BMD. Additionally, an increase in cortical bone microarchitecture parameters of lumbar spine as well as peak force were observed in dietary DHA diet groups. Dietary DHA contributes to PBM when consumed during and after sexual maturation, however higher doses of DHA do not provide further benefits.

How Is Adolescent Bone Mass and Density Influenced by Early Life Body Size and Growth? The Tromsø Study: Fit Futures-A Longitudinal Cohort Study From Norway

The effect of birth weight and childhood body mass index (BMI) on adolescents’ bone parameters is not established. The aim of this longitudinal, population‐based study was to investigate the association of birth weight, childhood BMI, and growth, with adolescent bone mass and bone density in a sample of 633 adolescents (48% girls) from The Tromsø Study: Fit Futures. This population‐based cohort study was conducted in 2010–2011 and 2012–2013 in Tromsø, Norway. Bone mineral content (BMC) and areal BMD (aBMD) were measured at total hip (TH) and total body (TB) by dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry (DXA) and converted to internal Z‐scores. Birth weight and childhood anthropometric measurements were retrospectively obtained from the Medical Birth Registry of Norway and childhood health records. Associations between birth weight, BMI, and growth were evaluated by fitting linear mixed models with repeated measures of BMC and aBMD at ages 15 to 17 and 18 to 20 years as the outcome. In crude analysis, a significant positive association (p < 0.05) with TB BMC was observed per 1 SD score increase in birth weight, observed in both sexes. Higher rate of length growth, conditioned on earlier size, from birth to age 2.5 years, and higher rate of weight gain from ages 6.0 to 16.5 years, conditioned on earlier size and concurrent height growth, revealed stronger associations with bone accrual at ages 15 to 20 years compared with other ages. Compared with being normal weight, overweight/obesity at age 16.5 years was associated with higher aBMD Z‐scores: β coefficient (95% confidence interval [CI]) of 0.78 (0.53, 1.03) and 1.08 (0.85, 1.31) in girls, 0.63 (0.42, 0.85) and 0.74 (0.54, 0.95) in boys at TH and TB, respectively. Similar associations were found for BMC. Being underweight was consistently negatively associated with bone parameters in adolescence. In conclusion, birth weight influences adolescent bone mass but less than later growth and BMI in childhood and adolescence. © 2018 The Authors. JBMR Plus Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research

Quantitative Ultrasonography Measurements of the Phalanges in Adolescents: A Mixed Longitudinal Study

This study examined the effect of pubertal development on Amplitude Dependent Speed of Sound (AD-SoS), accounting for the growth in stature among adolescents. A mixed-longitudinal design with 3 assessments across a 15-mo period in 439 adolescents (girls: 215; boys: 224) aged 9-16 y was used. Bayesian multilevel models were used to describe gender-specific AD-SoS variations among participants during pubertal years. Substantial increments in AD-SoS during pubertal years were observed in both genders. AD-SoS changes were positively related to stature, and the rate of stature growth per year. Quantitative ultrasonography was sensible to describe age-related changes of bone mass during pubertal development. It seemed clinically reliable to use AD-SoS in the study of bone growth and development.