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Impact of maternal veiling during pregnancy and socioeconomic status on offspring’s musculoskeletal health

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Abstract

Summary

The impact of maternal veiling during pregnancy and of socioeconomic status on offspring’s bone mass was investigated in 326 healthy adolescents. Veiling during pregnancy was associated with decreased musculoskeletal parameters in the offspring boys, but not girls. SES was a significant predictor of bone mass in both genders.

Introduction

This study investigates the effects of maternal veiling during pregnancy, a surrogate for low vitamin D level, and socioeconomic status (SES), a surrogate of nutritional status, on their offspring’s bone mass at adolescence.

Methods

Three hundred and twenty-six healthy adolescents aged 13.1(2.0) years and their mothers were studied. The impact of maternal veiling on offspring’s bone mass was evaluated through regression analyses. Outcome variables were bone mineral density (BMD) and content (BMC) at the spine, hip, and total body of the children. Predictors were maternal veiling during pregnancy and SES. Covariates were height, body composition, Tanner staging, calcium intake, vitamin D and exercise in children.

Results

In boys, adjusted analyses revealed that both maternal veiling during pregnancy and SES were significant predictors of bone mass, at multiple skeletal sites. In girls, SES but not maternal veiling during pregnancy was a significant predictor of bone mass at multiple sites.

Conclusion

Maternal veiling during pregnancy was associated with decreased musculoskeletal parameters of boys, but not girls. SES was a significant predictor of bone mass in both genders. These findings may have profound implications on children’s bone health.

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Acknowledgments

The study was supported in large part by an educational grant from Nestle Foundation and by a grant from Merck KGaA. The authors thank the administrators, school nurses, parents and students from the American Community School, the International College, Amlieh School and Ashbal Al Sahel School for their support in making the study possible. The authors thank Mrs S. Mroueh for her expert technical assistance in the acquisition and analyses of the bone mineral density scans and Mrs Hajj Shahine for her tireless efforts in running the hormonal assays.

Conflict of interest statement

None

Authors’ contributions All authors participated in the writing of the manuscript and have seen and approved the final version. MN did the literature review, participated in data collection, analysis and manuscript write-up. ZM participated in statistical analysis. JM did the data collection, analysis and participated in drafting of the manuscript. AA participated in patient evaluation, examination and data collection. GEHF was the lead investigator who designed the study protocol, secured funding for the study, oversaw data collection, analysis and contributed substantially to manuscript write-up.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut Medical Center, P.O. Box: 113-6044/C8, Beirut, Lebanon

    M. Nabulsi

  2. Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon

    Z. Mahfoud

  3. Calcium Metabolism and Osteoporosis Program, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon

    J. Maalouf, A. Arabi & G. E.-H. Fuleihan

Authors
  1. M. Nabulsi
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  2. Z. Mahfoud
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  3. J. Maalouf
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  4. A. Arabi
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  5. G. E.-H. Fuleihan
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to M. Nabulsi.

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Nabulsi, M., Mahfoud, Z., Maalouf, J. et al. Impact of maternal veiling during pregnancy and socioeconomic status on offspring’s musculoskeletal health. Osteoporos Int 19, 295–302 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00198-007-0459-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00198-007-0459-0

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