Birth size, body composition, and adrenal androgens as determinants of bone mineral density in mid-childhood

Abstract

Background Birth weight has an impact on adult bone mass. Higher birth weight is associated with greater bone mineral content (BMC) and children born small for gestational age (SGA) are at an increased risk for impaired accrual of bone mass. Our aim was to study whether the impact of birth size or early childhood growth on bone mass is visible already in mid-childhood.

Methods We studied 49 children born large for gestational age (LGA), 56 children born appropriate for gestational age (AGA), and 23 children born SGA at 5.0–8.7 years of age. Body composition was assessed by whole-body dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Fasting blood samples and anthropometric data were collected.

Results The children born SGA had lower bone mineral density (BMD) Z-score (P<0.001) and age- and sex-adjusted BMD (P<0.005) than the LGA and AGA children. Adjusted BMC, muscle mass, and body fat percentage (%BF) did not differ between the study groups. Muscle mass, BMI SD score (SDS), %BF, and serum dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) concentration were the strongest predictors of high BMD in mid-childhood.

Conclusion SGA-born children had lower BMD in mid-childhood compared with AGA- and LGA-born ones. Muscle mass or BMI SDS, %BF, and DHEAS were significant predictors of childhood BMD.