Type 2 Diabetes May Negatively Impact Bone Density in Youth

TUESDAY, Aug. 25, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Type 2 diabetes may negatively impact bone density around the age of peak bone mass, according to a study published online Aug. 10 in Diabetes Care.

Joseph M. Kindler, from the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and colleagues compared bone health in youth with type 2 diabetes to control patients with obesity or healthy weight. The analysis included youth (56 percent African American; 67 percent female) ages 10 to 23 years with type 2 diabetes (180 patients), obesity (body mass index [BMI] >95th; 226 patients), or healthy weight (BMI <85th; 238 patients).

The researchers observed age-dependent differences in areal bone mineral density (aBMD) and lean BMI z scores between the three groups. In children, aBMD and lean BMI z scores were greater in the type 2 diabetes group versus the obese group, while among adolescents and young adults, aBMD and lean BMI z scores were lower in the type 2 diabetes group versus the obese group. aBMD was approximately 0.5 standard deviations lower for a given lean BMI z score in the type 2 diabetes group and the obese group versus healthy-weight control patients. aBMD also was lower in those with greater visceral fat.

“Results from this study suggest that type 2 diabetes in youth may have a detrimental effect on bone accrual during the critical window of peak bone mass attainment irrespective of obesity status,” the authors write.

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