A new study has found that children with leaner body mass tend to build bigger bones than those who weigh the same but have a greater percentage of fat.
Researchers from South Dakota State University analyzed data obtained by taking bone and body composition measurements of rural Hutterite children in South Dakota.
“We looked at multiple measurements over time. We found that lean mass had a positive effect on rates of change,” says Howard Wey, an associate professor in SDSUs College of Nursing.
“Kids with higher lean mass, or muscle, tended to have greater rates of change, and kids with higher fat mass tended to have lower rates of change,” he specifies.
The scientists emphasize the significance of the findings lies in the fact that smaller bones are weaker than larger ones.
Parents who want to ensure their children have firmer muscles and less fat as they grow have a range of health resources to choose from.
They include physical exercise and a proper diet rich in bone health-promoting vitamin D, which can be obtained from milk and other dairy products as well as from nutritional supplements. 