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Fat helps build bone mass

Fat mass plays an important role in building bone mass in teenage girls and having too little may increase their risk of osteoporosis later in life.

Fat helps build bone mass

Fat mass plays an important role in building bone mass in teenage girls and having too little may increase their risk of osteoporosis later in life.

Researchers measured cortical bone mass (the hard outer layer of bone) in 4,005 girls and boys (mean age 15.5 years). It was found that fat mass had a positive influence on bone mass, particularly in girls, where the effect was about 70 percent greater than in boys.

The effect of fat mass on bone mass appeared to be strongest in girls. Girls clearly have more fat mass than boys and the findings show that whereas the greater lean mass in boys contributes to their greater cortical bone mass, this effect is partly counteracted by the greater fat mass in girls.

Fat mass in girls during puberty has a long-term impact on bone health as they grow into adulthood. Excessive reduction in fat mass could have adverse effects on the developing skeleton particularly in girls, leading to an increased risk of osteoporosis later in life.

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