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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 13, 2026

Scanning Skeletal Remains for Bone Mineral Density in Forensic Contexts

Scanning Skeletal Remains for Bone Mineral Density in Forensic Contexts

Published on: January 29, 2018

Body fat in children does not adversely influence bone development: a 7-year longitudinal study (EarlyBird 18).

A J Streeter¹, J Hosking, B S Metcalf

¹Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry (Plymouth Campus), Plymouth, UK.

Pediatric Obesity

|March 1, 2013

Summary

Body fat positively impacts bone growth in children, leading to larger bones in boys and denser, larger bones in girls. This study found no negative effects of body fat on children's developing bones when adjusted for age and height.

Keywords:

Body fat bone longitudinal puberty

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Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study

Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study

Published on: February 2, 2017

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Last Updated: May 13, 2026

Scanning Skeletal Remains for Bone Mineral Density in Forensic Contexts

Scanning Skeletal Remains for Bone Mineral Density in Forensic Contexts

Published on: January 29, 2018

Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study

Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study

Published on: February 2, 2017

Area of Science:

Pediatric Endocrinology
Bone Biology
Childhood Obesity

Background:

Conflicting associations exist between body fat and bone density.
Excess mechanical loading from fat may increase bone mass.
Inflammatory pathways from ectopic fat may cause bone demineralization.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the impact of body fat (BF) on bone growth during adolescence.
To examine the influence of age, pubertal tempo, and gender on the fat-bone relationship.
To address limited data on fat-on-bone development amidst rising childhood obesity rates.

Main Methods:

Longitudinal study of 307 children aged 9-16 years.
Biannual measurements of height and weight.
Annual dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry for bone parameters and percent body fat.
Quantitative assessment of pubertal tempo based on age at peak height velocity.

Main Results:

Bone area and areal bone mineral density increased in both genders.
Greater body fat correlated with higher bone density and area in girls, and larger bone area in boys.
Earlier puberty was associated with increased bone area and density in both genders.
The effect of body fat on bone mineral density was more pronounced in girls during later puberty.

Conclusions:

Increased body fat is linked to larger bones in boys and denser, larger bones in girls.
The interplay between body fat and puberty is complex and gender-specific.
Current evidence suggests body fat is not detrimental to bone quality in contemporary UK children.