Bone mineral and calcium accretion during puberty

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Bone Health
• Growth and Development
• Nutritional Physiology

Background:

• Bone mineral content (BMC) and calcium accretion are critical for skeletal development during childhood and adolescence.
• Understanding these parameters provides insight into dietary calcium needs during growth phases.

Purpose of the Study:

• To measure bone mineral content (BMC) and estimate calcium accretion in children.
• To offer insights into dietary calcium requirements during the crucial growth period.

Main Methods:

• Longitudinal study involving 228 children (113 boys, 115 girls) aged 9.5 to 19.5 years.
• Semiannual anthropometric measurements and annual whole-body BMC measurements using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry over 4 years.
• Cross-sectional analysis to determine peak height velocity and peak BMC velocity (PBMCV).

Main Results:

• Peak BMC velocity (PBMCV) occurred 1.2-1.6 years after peak height velocity in boys and girls, respectively.
• Boys exhibited consistently higher BMC and BMC velocity than girls throughout puberty, with a widening discrepancy.
• Estimated daily calcium retention was 282 mg for boys and 212 mg for girls, with potential for higher individual needs.

Conclusions:

• Adolescent boys demonstrate higher bone mineral accrual rates than girls, necessitating adequate dietary calcium intake.
• Peak skeletal calcium demands during puberty underscore the importance of sufficient calcium intake to support bone growth.
• Individual calcium requirements can exceed average estimates, highlighting potential risks of inadequate intake in some children.