Tracking Body Composition Changes in Girls Over 7 Years
Author Information
Author(s): Cheng Sulin, Völgyi Eszter, Tylavsky Frances A, Lyytikäinen Arja, Törmäkangas Timo, Xu Leiting, Cheng Shu Mei, Kröger Heikki, Alèn Markku, Kujala Urho M
Primary Institution: Department of Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
Hypothesis
How do bone mass, lean mass, and fat mass track from prepuberty to early adulthood in girls, and what factors influence their variation?
Conclusion
Individual levels of bone mass, lean mass, and fat mass are established before puberty and track in a trait-specific manner until early adulthood.
Supporting Evidence
- 73% of girls in the lowest quartile for bone mass remained in that quartile after 7 years.
- 69% of girls in the lowest quartile for lean mass remained in that quartile after 7 years.
- 79% of girls in the highest quartile for fat mass remained in that quartile after 7 years.
- Heritability contributed 69% of the total variance of bone mass.
- Diet and physical activity significantly influenced lean mass and fat mass.
Takeaway
This study shows that how much bone, muscle, and fat girls have is mostly decided before they become teenagers, and it stays pretty much the same as they grow up.
Methodology
A 7-year longitudinal cohort study measuring bone mass, lean mass, and fat mass using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and self-reported dietary and physical activity information.
Potential Biases
The study did not include fathers' data or hormonal influences, which may affect the results.
Limitations
High drop-out rate due to participants relocating for education; potential confounding factors not fully controlled for.
Participant Demographics
396 girls aged 10 to 13 years at baseline, with follow-up assessments until age 18.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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