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Osteoporosis: a lifecourse approach
Nicholas Harvey1, Elaine Dennison, Cyrus Cooper
1Medical Research Council (MRC) Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit, University of Southampton, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton, UK; National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, University of Southampton and University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, UK.
Insights
Osteoporosis risk begins early in life, influenced by growth from conception. Early life interventions may optimize bone health, reducing future fracture risk.
Area of Science:
- Bone biology and developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD).
Background:
- Osteoporosis risk is accrued across the entire lifespan, starting from early development.
- Early growth patterns are linked to peak bone mass, aging bone health, and hip fracture risk.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between intrauterine and postnatal growth and later bone development.
- To understand the mechanistic underpinnings, including epigenetic factors, of early growth's impact on bone health.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of mother-offspring cohorts.
- Study of biological samples to characterize mechanistic factors.
Main Results:
- Novel findings reveal connections between early growth patterns and subsequent bone development.
- Epigenetic processes identified as potential contributors to bone health outcomes.
Conclusions:
- Global policy acknowledges the role of early growth and nutrition in preventing adult chronic diseases like osteoporosis.
- Pregnancy interventions are being tested to enhance offspring bone health, aiming for public health strategies to reduce osteoporotic fractures.
Abstract:
It is becoming increasingly apparent that the risk of developing osteoporosis is accrued throughout the entire lifecourse, even from as early as conception. Thus early growth is associated with bone mass at peak and in older age, and risk of hip fracture. Novel findings from mother-offspring cohorts have yielded greater understanding of relationships between patterns of intrauterine and postnatal growth in the context of later bone development. Study of biological samples from these populations has helped characterize potential mechanistic underpinnings, such as epigenetic processes. Global policy has recognized the importance of early growth and nutrition to the risk of developing adult chronic noncommunicable diseases such as osteoporosis; testing of pregnancy interventions aimed at optimizing offspring bone health is now underway. It is hoped that through such programs, novel public health strategies may be established with the ultimate goal of reducing the burden of osteoporotic fracture in older age.
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