They found that people who had multiple fractures as children were more than twice as likely to have broken bones as adults. This leads to a decrease in bone density in the hip in women by the age of 45.
The participants in this study were young to study fracture risk and osteoporosis, but if lifestyle changes to promote bone density can be made earlier in life, it could have an impact. greatest impact on lifelong bone health and reduced risk of osteoporosis.
Fractures in Children Predict the development of osteoporosis
One in two children has a fracture in childhood, with nearly a quarter of boys and 15% of girls having multiple fractures.
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However, understanding why some children have multiple fractures or whether this predicts adult bone health remains unclear.
Children break bones for many reasons. Previous research has found that children with vertebral fractures in households are poorer, exercise more, are overweight or have a high body mass index, vitamin D deficiency and low calcium intake, and may be physically abused.
Children with frequent fractures may have bones that are particularly brittle, ‘crash prone’, or break bones while playing sports or exercising.
An important topic, however, is whether children with fractures experience a temporary decrease in bone strength during rapid growth, or whether these skeletal abnormalities persist into adulthood.
The respondents were all part of the one-of-a-kind Dunedin Study, which tracked the development of one thousand infants born in Otepoti, Dunedin, from April 1972 to March 1973.
The researchers found that both boys and girls who suffered multiple fractures as children were more than twice as likely to fracture as adults. Furthermore, people who did not break a bone as a child tended to remain so in adulthood ().
Childhood fractures are associated with decreased hip bone mineral density later in life in females, but not in males.
In summary, parents of children with frequent fractures at an early age should be taught about different methods to prevent age-related persistent fragility.
Authority to solve :
- History of fracture in osteoporosis: risk factors and its effect on quality of life – (https:pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25667782/)
Source: Medindia
