Relationship between blood lipids and bone mineral density in healthy preschoolers: a 12-month cohort study.

Abstract

Objectives: A prospective study was conducted examining the association between blood lipid levels and bone mineral density in preschool-aged children.

Methods: Healthy preschool-aged children (n=411) were included in this 12-month cohort study. The bone mineral density and bone mineral content of the non-dominant forearm and calcaneus were measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Additionally, the children's fasting blood was drawn at baseline to measure blood lipids.

Results: The sample comprised 411 healthy preschool-aged children, 208 girls and 203 boys, with a mean age of 4.80±0.70 years. After one year of observation, the bone mineral density of the non-dominant calcaneus in preschool children increased by 30.37 mg/cm², bone mineral content increased by 29.85 mg, and triglyceride levels increased by 0.05 mmol/L. A significant inverse assocation was observed between serum triglyceride levels within the normal physiological range and the changes in bone mineral density (BMD) at the non-dominant calcaneus in preschool children, whereas no such association was detected with BMD changes in the non-dominant forearm. A 1 mmol/L increase in triglycerides within the physiological normal range was associated with a 6.73 mg/cm² decrease in bone mineral density (95 % CI: -12.90, -0.56) and a 5.98 mg decrease in bone mineral content (95 % CI: -11.77, -0.19). There was no significant relationship between other lipids and bone mineral density.

Conclusions: Serum triglyceride concentrations within the physiological normal range showed a significant negative correlation with the 12-month increment of calcaneal bone mineral density in preschool children (p<0.05).