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. 2021 Apr 20;21(1):185.
doi: 10.1186/s12887-021-02665-5.

Influence of weight status on bone mineral content measured by DXA in children

Francisco Sánchez Ferrer  1   2 , Ernesto Cortes Castell  3 , Francisco Carratalá Marco  1   2 , Mercedes Juste Ruiz  1 , José Antonio Quesada Rico  1 , Ana Pilar Nso Roca  1   2
Affiliations

Influence of weight status on bone mineral content measured by DXA in children

Francisco Sánchez Ferrer et al. BMC Pediatr. .

Abstract

Introduction: Childhood obesity is a public health problem with repercussions in later life. As tissue formation peaks in childhood we determined how weight status influences bone mineral content.

Material and methods: We studied 553 children aged 4-18 years over 10 years (46.8% girls). We measured age, weight, height and through bone densitometry (DXA), bone mineral content (BMC), bone mineral density (BMD), and waist, arm and hip circumferences. The patients were divided into groups using the body mass index z-score: underweight, normal weight, overweight, obese and very obese.

Results: BMC and BMD values were highest in the normal-weight and overweight groups. Logistic regression showed bone mineralization was inversely associated with waist circumference, the association being positive for weight and age. No differences were found according to sex.

Discussion: Studies of the relationship between weight and bone mineralization report contradictory results, often because of different study designs. Moreover, studies in children are either few or with small samples. Our findings in a large sample show the importance of weight status in bone mineralization given the risk of bone fractures or osteoporosis.

Conclusions: Weight status influenced bone mineralization. BMC and BMD decreased in children with a higher degree of obesity. Waist circumference correlated negatively with bone mineralization.

Keywords: Bone mineral content; Bone mineral density; Densitometry; Obesity; Osteoporosis; Weight status.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Total bone mineral content (BMC) values according to the weight status and sex of the study population
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Bone mineral density (BMD) values according to weight status and sex
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Bone mineral percentage values according to weight status and sex
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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