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Title: BONE MINERAL MASS IN OVERWEIGHT AND OBESE CHILDREN: DIMINISHED OR ENHANCED?

Author
item Ellis, Kenneth
item SHYPAILO, ROMAN - BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MED
item Wong, William
item Abrams, Steven

Submitted to: Acta Diabetologica
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/1/2003
Publication Date: 10/1/2003
Citation: Ellis KJ, Shypailo RJ, Wong WW, Abrams SA. 2003. Bone mineral mass in overweight and obese children: diminished or enhanced? Acta Diabetologia. 40(Suppl.1):S274-S277.

Interpretive Summary: Childhood obesity has become a worldwide health problem. It has been suggested that overweight and obese children may have reduced bone growth resulting in less mineral in their bones. We used the latest technology, dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, to examine the total bone content of normal weight, overweight, and obese children. We found that the children with excess body fatness do not have reduce bone mass. Abnormal mineralization of bone does not appear to be a risk for overweight or obese children.

Technical Abstract: Childhood obesity has become a worldwide health problem. Recent studies have suggested that obese and overweight children have reduced bone mass. We used dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry to examine the relation between bone mineral content (BMC) and body fatness (%Fat) in healthy children. Obese children (%Fat < 30%) had increased BMC compared with age-, gender-, and ethnic-matched children with normal adiposity (%Fat < 25%). When adjusted for height, these differences were less significant. We conclude obese children do not have diminished whole-body BMC when compared with leaner children, even when adjusted for height, age, gender, and ethnicity.