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ARS Home » Plains Area » Houston, Texas » Children's Nutrition Research Center » Research » Research Project #436384

Research Project: Body Weight and Health Consequences

Location: Children's Nutrition Research Center

Project Number: 3092-51000-065-004-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Apr 1, 2019
End Date: Mar 31, 2024

Objective:
Objective 1: Investigate the effect of adiposity, adipokine dysregulation (the balance of circulating anti-inflammatory vs. proinflammatory factors), insulin resistance and vitamin D concentrations on bone microarchitecture (cortical porosity, trabecular thickness), bone biomarkers and endothelial function in youth with and without abnormalities in glucose metabolism. Objective 2: Evaluate the effect of high dose vitamin D therapy in a 6-month randomized controlled trial design on change in bone microarchitecture, restoration of bone biomarkers balance and endothelial function in youth. Objective 3: removed due to investigator departure

Approach:
The long-term objective of this project is to provide an enhanced understanding of how altered bone metabolism in the childhood years contributes to long-term skeletal health and may play a role in glucose metabolism and cardiovascular health in obese children by examining the evolution of risk factors and biomarkers of bone health early in the course of obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Specifically, we will investigate the effect of adiposity, adipokine dysregulation, insulin resistance and vitamin D concentrations on bone microarchitecture, bone biomarkers and vascular health in youth with and without abnormalities in glucose metabolism. Given the importance of vitamin D to bone mineralization and a host of metabolic functions, we will also examine whether restoration of vitamin D sufficiency, in a randomized placebo controlled study design, has a positive effect on bone microarchitecture, bone biomarkers and endothelial function. Overall this project will provide an enhanced understanding of how altered bone metabolism may contribute to long-term skeletal health and play a role in glucose metabolism and cardiovascular health in obese children.