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Appendicular Muscle Mass Index as the Most Important Determinant of Bone Mineral Content and Density in Small for
María Elena Rojo-Trejo1, Ma Ludivina Robles-Osorio1, Beatriz Rangel1
1Nutrition School, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Querétaro, México.
Insights
Children born small for gestational age (SGA) have lower bone mineral content and density. Adequate muscle mass is crucial for bone health in these children, reducing the risk of low bone mineralization.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Bone Biology
- Growth and Development
Background:
- Preterm small for gestational age (SGA) children face increased risks for diminished bone mineral content later in life.
- Limited data exists regarding bone health in term-born SGA children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare bone mineral density (BMD) and bone mineral content (BMC) in term-born SGA children versus adequate for gestational age (AGA) children.
- To identify anthropometric and biochemical factors influencing bone mineralization in SGA children.
Main Methods:
- A comparative study involving 44 term-born SGA and 57 AGA children aged 6-11 years.
- Assessment of bone mineral density (BMD), bone mineral content (BMC), fat mass, and appendicular skeletal muscle mass index (ASMMI).
- Multivariate analysis to determine associations between anthropometric measures and bone mineralization.
Main Results:
- SGA children exhibited significantly lower fat mass, ASMMI, BMC, and BMD compared to AGA children (P ≤ .005).
- Appendicular skeletal muscle mass index (ASMMI) showed a strong correlation with BMC and BMD in both groups.
- No significant differences were observed in clinical biomarkers, calcium intake, or physical activity levels between the groups.
Conclusions:
- Adequate appendicular skeletal muscle mass is a key determinant of bone mineralization in both SGA and AGA children.
- Achieving sufficient muscle mass may mitigate the risk of low bone mineral content and density in SGA children.
- Focusing on muscle development could be a strategy to improve long-term bone health in term-born SGA individuals.
Abstract:
Preterm small for gestational age (SGA) children are at increased risk for low bone mineral content later in life; however, data on SGA children born at term are scarce. We included 44 SGA and 57 adequate for gestational age (AGA) children aged 6 to 11 years to compare bone mineral density (BMD) and bone mineral content (BMC) and to identify which anthropometric and biochemical values influence bone mineralization in these children. Fat mass, appendicular skeletal muscle mass index (ASMMI), BMC, and BMD were significantly lower in SGA children than in AGA (P ≤ .005). Appendicular muscle mass index correlated with BMC(TBLH,FN,L1-L4) and BMD(TBLH,FN,L1-L4) in both groups (r2 = 0.7, P < .05). In multivariate analysis, ASMMI was strongly associated with BMC and BMD in both groups. There were no differences in clinical biomarkers, calcium intake, and physical activity between the groups. Achieving adequate muscle mass contributes to adequate bone mineralization and a lower risk for low BMC and BMD in SGA children.
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