Total-Body Bone Mineral Content in Adolescent Girls Correlates with Body Mass, Growth and Pubertal Development, Physical Fitness, and Parental Perceptions of Dairy Products
Open Access
Author:
Siverling, Megan Lynne
Area of Honors:
Nutritional Sciences
Degree:
Bachelor of Science
Document Type:
Thesis
Thesis Supervisors:
Jennifer Savage Williams, Thesis Supervisor Rebecca L Corwin, Thesis Honors Advisor
Keywords:
Nutritional Sciences Bone mineral content calcium puberty adolescent girls
Abstract:
Maximizing bone accretion in young girls during growth is strategy that could decrease the severity of bone loss later in life. Associations between bone mineral content and genetics, growth and pubertal development, body weight, and physical activity have been observed in previous research, and evidence about the relationship between bone health and diet is inconclusive. This study aims to identify variables that correlate with bone mineral accretion between the ages of 11 and 13 years and to plan an intervention strategy for promoting bone health in girls based on the associations found. In this study, BMI at age 11 (p<.0001), height velocity between age 9 and 11 (p=.0056), starting menstruation by age 13 (p=.0066), maternal attitudes toward milk at girl age 11 (p=.0216), and physical fitness at age 11 (p=.0015) all significantly correlated with bone mineral content at age 13.
The findings of this study suggest that clinical recommendations for maximizing bone accumulation during the early years of adolescence should aim to encourage adequate caloric intake to promote growth and weight gain to maintain bone mass and ensure achievement of menses in a timeframe that is appropriate for the individual. Physical activity should be encouraged to improve bone strength and physical fitness, but moderation should be advised to avoid excessive activity that results in a chronic caloric deficit that could lead to delayed growth, weight loss, or amenorrhea. Future studies may benefit from categorizing physical activity to examine the difference between impact-loading activities and non-impact exercise on bone deposition. Additional research may also be required to understand the influence of habitual dietary intake throughout childhood on subsequent bone mineral content measures.
