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Linear growth and relative weight gain in childhood and bone mass in adolescence: findings from the Pelotas (Brazil) 2004 birth cohort

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Abstract

Summary

With the objective to investigate the relationship of weight and height growth with bone mass at 11 years, we found that boys who grew in weight and height, especially at 48 months, and girls, who grew in weight at 24 months and height at 11 years, gained more bone mass.

Purpose

To investigate independent relationships of linear growth and relative weight gain during defined periods of infancy, childhood, and early adolescence with areal bone mineral density (aBMD) of three sites at 11 years.

Methods

Data on weight and length/height were obtained at birth, 3, 12, and 24 months, and the ages of 4, 6, and 11. The outcome was whole body, femoral neck, and lumbar spine aBMD (g/cm2) measured at 11 years using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. The effects of weight gain and linear growth were analyzed using conditional relative weight and conditional length/height. Associations between conditional growth and outcomes were analyzed using linear regression, adjusted for multiple confounders.

Results

Individuals with data available for exposures and bone outcomes were 2875 and comprised the sample. For boys, the greatest magnitude of increase for whole body and height gain was at 48 months (β 0.014, 95% CI 0.010; 0.018). For girls, higher aBMD was observed for those with greater height gain at 11 years, representing for lumbar spine an increase of 0.056 g/cm2 (95% CI 0.050; 0.062). For body weight, among boys, the greatest magnitude in the whole body was also associated with weight gain at 48 months (β 0.014, 95% CI 0.010; 0.018). For girls, the highest coefficient was at 24 months, representing for lumbar spine an increase of 0.028 g/cm2, (95% CI 0.021; 0.035).

Conclusion

Positive associations were demonstrated between length/height and weight gain and aBMD in both sexes, with emphasis on girls’ aBMD in response to the linear growth achieved mainly at 11 years.

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Acknowledgements

This article is based on data from the study “Pelotas Birth Cohort, 2004” conducted by Postgraduate Program in Epidemiology at Universidade Federal de Pelotas, with the collaboration of the Brazilian Public Health Association (ABRASCO). The World Health Organization, National Support Program for Centers of Excellence (PRONEX), Brazilian National Research Council (CNPq) (grant 476727/2003-0), Brazilian Ministry of Health (grants FNS-2799-03 and FNS-4589-04), and Children’s Pastorate supported the perinatal phase of the study. AM, AJDB, LTR, FCB, and ISS are supported by CNPq.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Postgraduate Program in Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Pelotas, Rua Marechal Deodoro, 1160, 3° Andar, Pelotas, RS, CEP 96020-220, Brazil

    Isabel Oliveira Bierhals, Juliana dos Santos Vaz, Alicia Matijasevich, Aluísio J. D. Barros, Luciana Tovo-Rodrigues, Fernando C. Barros & Iná S. Santos

  2. Faculty of Nutrition, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil

    Juliana dos Santos Vaz

  3. Faculdade de Medicina FMUSP, Departamento de Medicina Preventiva, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

    Alicia Matijasevich

  4. Postgraduation Program in Health and Behavior, Catholic University of Pelotas, Pelotas, RS, Brazil

    Fernando C. Barros

  5. Postgraduate Program in Pediatrics and Child Health, School of Medicine, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande Do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil

    Iná S. Santos

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  1. Isabel Oliveira Bierhals
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Correspondence to Isabel Oliveira Bierhals.

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Bierhals, I.O., Vaz, J.d., Matijasevich, A. et al. Linear growth and relative weight gain in childhood and bone mass in adolescence: findings from the Pelotas (Brazil) 2004 birth cohort. Arch Osteoporos 18, 5 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11657-022-01189-4

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