Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 28, 2025
Scanning Skeletal Remains for Bone Mineral Density in Forensic Contexts
Published on: January 29, 2018
Bone density and body composition in small for gestational age children with adequate catch up growth: A preliminary
Annalisa Deodati1, Melania Manco2, Michela Mariani1
1Endocrinology Unit, Paediatric University Hospital Department, "Bambino Gesù" Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
Insights
Catch-up growth in small for gestational age (SGA) children normalizes bone accrual and body composition by adulthood. These findings suggest early growth catch-up mitigates adverse effects of low birth weight (BW) on bone health.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Endocrinology
- Bone Biology
- Growth and Development
Background:
- Fetal growth and birth weight (BW) impact bone mineral density (BMD) and content (BMC) into adulthood.
- Small for gestational age (SGA) children may experience long-term effects on bone accrual.
- Compensatory infant catch-up growth is hypothesized to counteract low BW consequences.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare BMD and BMC in term-born SGA children with normal catch-up growth versus appropriate for gestational age (AGA) children.
- To investigate the long-term bone health outcomes in SGA children who achieved normal growth trajectories.
Main Methods:
- Recruited 53 SGA and 60 AGA children (aged 6-18 years), matched for sex and BMI.
- Utilized Dual Energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scans to assess fat mass (FM), free fat mass (FFM), lumbar spine and total body less head (TBLH) BMD, and BMC.
- Calculated size-adjusted bone parameters including BMAD z-scores and TBLH BMC/FFM.
Main Results:
- No significant differences in auxological, body composition, or size-adjusted bone parameters were found between SGA and AGA groups.
- Body Mass Index (BMI), FM, and FFM were significantly correlated with bone mass parameters in both groups.
- No correlation was observed between FM/FFM and birth weight standard deviation scores (BW SDS) in univariate analysis.
Conclusions:
- Term-born SGA children achieving catch-up growth exhibit comparable bone mass and body composition to AGA children.
- Compensatory growth appears to normalize bone accrual, mitigating the initial impact of low birth weight.
- These findings highlight the importance of monitoring and supporting catch-up growth in SGA infants for long-term skeletal health.
Background:
Fetal growth patterns and birth weight (BW) have been associated with bone mineral density (BMD) and content (BMC) throughout infancy and childhood up to early adulthood. We hypothesized that in small for gestational age (SGA) children, compensatory infant catch-up growth to normal height centiles counteracts the adverse consequences of low BW on bone accrual.
Aim:
To evaluate BMD and BMC of SGA children born at term who experienced a normal catch-up growth as compared to children born appropriate for gestational age (AGA).
Patients:
We recruited 53 SGA (26 females) and 60 AGA children (27 females), aged 6 to 18 years, matched for sex and body mass index (BMI). Fat mass (FM); Free fat mass (FFM); Lumbar spine and Total body less head (TBLH) BMD; BMC and BMD standard deviation scores corrected for body size (BMAD, BMAD z-score and TBLH BMD/Height) and TBLH BMC for FFM (TBLHBMC/FFM) were derived from Dual Energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scans.
Results:
SGA and AGA children did not differ in any auxological, body composition and bone parameters appropriately adjusted for height and FFM. BMI, FM and, remarkably, FFM were significantly correlated with bone mass parameters in both groups while no correlation was found between FM and FFM with the BW SDS in the univariate analysis.
Conclusion:
Our preliminary data demonstrate that SGA children born at term who recover from their growth deficiency through catch-up growth achieve bone mass and body composition not different from children born AGA.
Related Concept Videos
01:29Bone 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...
01:09Changes in the Appendicular Skeleton with Age
Initially, the limb buds consist of a core of mesenchyme covered by a layer of ectoderm. The ectoderm at the end of the limb bud thickens to form a narrow crest called the apical ectodermal ridge. This ridge stimulates the underlying...
01:20Study Designs in Epidemiology
Observational studies are those where the researcher does not intervene but rather observes natural variations. They include cross-sectional, cohort, and...
01:27Growth of Cartilage and Bone Tissue
01:10Nature and Nurture
01:17Hormones and Bone Tissue
Hormones That Influence Osteoblasts and/or Maintain the Matrix
Several hormones are necessary for controlling bone growth and maintaining the bone matrix. The pituitary gland secretes growth hormone (GH), which, as its name implies, controls bone growth. This happens in several ways: first, it triggers chondrocyte...