Posted Jan 7, 2009
DIETING by teenage girls desperate to reach ‘size zero’ could be putting their bones at risk, say British researchers.
They found bone strength is linked to fat levels – meaning the pressure to be thin may increase the chances of fractures.
A long-term child development study shows fat mass is more important to bone development in girls than boys.
It has long been known that being anorexic leads to prematurely thin bones, but the latest study suggests a reason for decreased bone strength.
A team from Bristol University looked at more than 4,000 young people aged 15, scanning their bones to calculate their shape and density, as well as how much body fat they had.
Those with higher levels of fat tended to have thicker bones, with the connection being ‘particularly marked’ in girls.
An increase in fat mass of 11lb (5kg) in girls was associated with an 8 per cent increase in the thickness of the lower leg bone.
Research leader, Professor Jon Tobias, said: ‘There is a good deal of pressure on teenage girls to be thin, but they need to be aware that this could endanger their developing skeleton.’
Date: Jan 6, 2009