Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 29, 2026

Glycemic Impact on Knee Osteoarthritis Symptoms on Physical, Radiographic, and Inflammatory Markers among Individuals Aged 50 and Over with Diabetes
Published on: March 7, 2025
Alterations in bone characteristics associated with glycemic control in adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus
Jenny Heap1, Mary A Murray, Scott C Miller
1Division of Foods and Nutrition, College of Health, Pediatric Endocrinology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84132, USA.
Objective:
To determine whether bone characteristics in adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM) are influenced by blood glucose regulation and disease duration. The subjects were adolescents with type 1 DM (n=55) recruited from the University of Utah's Primary Children's Pediatric Diabetes Treatment Center. A reference database consisting of 95 healthy adolescents from the same geographic area was used for comparison.Study design Measurements of the tibia by peripheral quantitative computed tomography were made to assess cortical and trabecular bone characteristics. Hip, spine, and whole body characteristics were measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Height, weight, health histories, Tanner stage, disease duration, insulin regimen, and glycosylated hemoglobin values were recorded.
Results:
Age, maturation, and body size and composition values were similar between the subjects with type 1 DM and reference. Subjects with type 1 DM had lower tibia trabecular and femoral neck density and whole body mineral content and density. The mean glycosylated hemoglobin value was inversely related to tibia trabecular bone density (R(2)=-0.30) and whole body bone mineral content (R(2)=-0.25) and accounted for 3.0% to 8.9% of the variance.
Conclusions:
Altered bone mineral acquisition in adolescents with type 1 DM may limit peak bone mass acquisition and increase the risk of osteoporosis in later life.
Related Concept Videos
Bone Disorders
Bone deposition is also affected by the levels of sex hormones like estrogen and testosterone that promote osteoblast activity and bone matrix synthesis. When the level of these hormones decreases due to aging, it causes a reduction in bone deposition. As a result, bone resorption by osteoclasts...
Diabetes Mellitus: Overview and Type I Subtype
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. As a result, the body is unable to produce sufficient insulin, and individuals with...
Type I Diabetes III: Clinical Manifestations
Diabetes Mellitus: Type 2 and Gestational
Hyperglycemia
Diabetes: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Complications