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Research suggests fat mass helps to build bone mass in girls
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A recent study reports that fat mass is important in increasing bone size and thickness – and the effect is stronger in girls than in boys.
The study is scheduled to appear in the February issue of the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
Researchers for the study found that although lean mass was the major determinant of bone mass, fat mass also exerted an important positive influence, especially in girls, in which the effect was approximately 70% greater than in boys.
Researchers used dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) to determine total body fat mass and lean mass, and used peripheral quantitative computer tomography to measure cortical bone mass at the mid-tibia in 4,005 boys and girls with a mean age of 15.5 years.
Findings from previous studies have been inconsistent regarding whether fat mass has a positive or negative impact upon bone development, according to a press release from The Endocrine Society.
“The effect of fat mass on bone mass appears to be strongest in girls,” Jonathan Tobias, PhD, the lead author of the study, stated in the release. “Girls clearly have more fat mass than boys, and our findings show that whereas the greater lean mass in boys contributes to their greater cortical bone mass, this effect is partly counteracted by the greater fat mass in girls.”
“Fat mass in girls during puberty may have a long-term impact on bone health as they grow into adulthood,” he continued. “Excessive reduction in fat mass could have adverse effects on the developing skeleton – particularly in girls – leading to an increased risk of osteoporosis in later life.”
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