Being Overweight Affects Bone Development in Growing Kids
It is well known that obesity is now a major concern for children.
Besides having a negative effect on their self-esteem and increasing their risk of developing diabetes and other diseases, researchers from South Dakota State University found that being overweight effects the development of their bones as well.
In their research, children with a greater percentage of body fat had smaller bones than a children with lean body mass.
Howard Wey, an associate professor in SDSU's College of Nursing, and professor Bonny Specker, director and chair of the Ethel Austin Martin Program in Human Nutrition at SDSU, studied the issue of the relationship between bone development and body mass by analyzing data assembled on bone and body composition measurements of rural Hutterite children in South Dakota.
Because heavier people tend to have more bone to support their weight, their findings are also causing some controversy.
According to Wey, a larger child will have larger bones because he is heavier.
However, if you have two kids who weigh the same, but one has more fat mass than the other, this kid will more likely have smaller bones than the kid who has more lean mass.
With regards to the study, the primary focus of the research was designed to see whether there are differences in how lean mass and fat relates with bone development.
To study this, the researchers gathered two to three measurements over a 36-month period on about 150 male and about 200 female Hutterite children ages 8 to 18.
Wey found from this that lean mass had a positive effect on the rate of change in bone mass, area, and density.
That is kids with higher lean mass tended to have greater rates of change of bone development, while kids with higher fat mass tended to have lower rates of change.
Wey said the results from the findings are preliminary, but appear to be fairly consistent.
Even though this is just one factor, the knowledge gained from this study can help in forming guidelines for diet and exercise plans to deal with health problems like childhood obesity.
Besides having a negative effect on their self-esteem and increasing their risk of developing diabetes and other diseases, researchers from South Dakota State University found that being overweight effects the development of their bones as well.
In their research, children with a greater percentage of body fat had smaller bones than a children with lean body mass.
Howard Wey, an associate professor in SDSU's College of Nursing, and professor Bonny Specker, director and chair of the Ethel Austin Martin Program in Human Nutrition at SDSU, studied the issue of the relationship between bone development and body mass by analyzing data assembled on bone and body composition measurements of rural Hutterite children in South Dakota.
Because heavier people tend to have more bone to support their weight, their findings are also causing some controversy.
According to Wey, a larger child will have larger bones because he is heavier.
However, if you have two kids who weigh the same, but one has more fat mass than the other, this kid will more likely have smaller bones than the kid who has more lean mass.
With regards to the study, the primary focus of the research was designed to see whether there are differences in how lean mass and fat relates with bone development.
To study this, the researchers gathered two to three measurements over a 36-month period on about 150 male and about 200 female Hutterite children ages 8 to 18.
Wey found from this that lean mass had a positive effect on the rate of change in bone mass, area, and density.
That is kids with higher lean mass tended to have greater rates of change of bone development, while kids with higher fat mass tended to have lower rates of change.
Wey said the results from the findings are preliminary, but appear to be fairly consistent.
Even though this is just one factor, the knowledge gained from this study can help in forming guidelines for diet and exercise plans to deal with health problems like childhood obesity.
