{"title":"In Search of Environmental Factors Associated With Global Differences in Birth Weight and BMI","authors":"Per M. Jensen, Marten Sørensen","doi":"10.1002/ajhb.70038","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ajhb.70038","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Objective</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The “fetal origin of adult diseases hypothesis” encompasses the notion that intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) alters fetal development trajectories. Various neonatal metrics inform IUGR, but not all contributors to IUGR have an impact on development trajectories. Chronic IUGR (twins) and slowly varying IUGR (seasonal) have little to no effect on later life trajectories. Perhaps development trajectories may evolve through other mechanisms, as for example, multiple short-lived periods of IUGR and repeated stimulation of metabolic pathways.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Daily temperature variation could deliver a frequent IUGR as pregnant women would experience some degree of placental vasoconstriction during maximum/midday temperatures. We assessed the association with daily temperature amplitudes for globally distributed records of crude fetal growth rates (CFGR) and BMI. Paired birthweight (BW) and gestational age (GA) data permitted analyses of CFGR in 70 countries and subsequent analysis of CFGR for association with daily temperature amplitude, seasonal temperature amplitude, mean annual temperature, calorie intake per day per<sup>−1</sup> person<sup>−1</sup>, BMI, height, and socioeconomic conditions. Analog analyses were performed for gestational age, calorie intake, BMI, and height.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>CFGR and BMI showed a clear association with daily temperature amplitudes, which was not the case for gestational age, calorie intake, and height.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusion</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>We show that daily temperature amplitudes are associated with both CFGR and BMI. These results permit a wider ecological appreciation of the hypothesis because daily temperature amplitudes inform environmental aridity and food scarcity. We discuss how scarcity, affluence, and the epidemiological environment influence the prevalence of afflictions associated with the fetal origin of adult disease hypothesis.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":50809,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Human Biology","volume":"37 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ajhb.70038","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143786733","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Bethany Gower, Matthew Russell, Jordan M. Tomkinson, Samantha J. Peterson, Marilyn G. Klug, Grant R. Tomkinson
{"title":"The Relationship Between Digit Ratio (2D:4D) and Aspects of Cardiorespiratory Fitness: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis","authors":"Bethany Gower, Matthew Russell, Jordan M. Tomkinson, Samantha J. Peterson, Marilyn G. Klug, Grant R. Tomkinson","doi":"10.1002/ajhb.70040","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ajhb.70040","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Introduction</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Digit ratio (2D:4D), a proxy of prenatal testosterone exposure, is a putative marker of physical fitness. No study has comprehensively synthesized studies examining associations between 2D:4D and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF). We aimed to systematically review and meta-analyze studies reporting associations between 2D:4D and aspects of CRF.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>We systematically searched the literature for full text, refereed, cross-sectional studies reporting Pearson's correlation coefficients between objectively measured 2D:4D and at least one aspect of CRF. CRF was objectively assessed using field-based measures (maximal long-duration exercise performance) or laboratory-based measures (maximal oxygen uptake [VO<sub>2max</sub>], ventilatory threshold [VT], or mechanical efficiency [ME]). We used random-effects meta-analysis to estimate the pooled correlation and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) for aspects of CRF, and moderator analyses to estimate the influence of sex and age.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Data from 22 studies, representing 5293 individuals (54% male; mean age range = 10.1–40.2 years) from 12 countries were included. We found a significant strong negative correlation for VT (<i>r</i> = −0.61, 95% CI = −0.78, −0.37) and a significant weak negative correlation for exercise performance (<i>r</i> = −0.18, 95% CI = −0.25, −0.10), indicating that individuals with lower 2D:4Ds had higher VT and better exercise performance. No significant correlations were found for VO<sub>2max</sub> or ME. Neither sex nor age were significant moderators, except for age which moderated the correlation for exercise performance.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>2D:4D is a proxy for some aspects of CRF like exercise tolerance (i.e., VT) and performance, but not other aspects like aerobic capacity and efficiency.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":50809,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Human Biology","volume":"37 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ajhb.70040","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143770000","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Rosario Elizabeth Pacheco Agüero, Lautaro Daniel Andrade, Norma Beatriz Dip, Delia Beatriz Lomaglio
{"title":"Nutritional Status and Somatotype of School-Aged Youth (5–17 Years) Residing at Moderate Altitude in the Ambato Department of Catamarca Province, Argentina","authors":"Rosario Elizabeth Pacheco Agüero, Lautaro Daniel Andrade, Norma Beatriz Dip, Delia Beatriz Lomaglio","doi":"10.1002/ajhb.70035","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ajhb.70035","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Objectives</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>To analyze the somatotype and its relationship with nutritional status, determined by Body Mass Index (BMI), in populations from moderate altitude in the province of Catamarca, Argentina.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on 139 schoolchildren aged 5–17 years (51.79% girls) from the rural localities of Las Juntas and Las Piedras Blancas (1609 m above sea level), Ambato Department, Catamarca province. Anthropometric measurements were taken to calculate BMI and the three somatotype components: endomorphy, mesomorphy, and ectomorphy, according to Heath and Carter. Participants were classified based on WHO categories: underweight, normal weight, overweight, and obesity.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Overweight was observed in 16.5% of the participants. Obesity (7.5%) was present only in boys. The average somatotype profile was 3.9–2.5–2.2, indicating moderate adiposity, low musculoskeletal development, and relative linearity. Regression analysis showed that BMI increased with the first two components and decreased with the third. Differences in somatotype distribution by sex and age were observed, along with low concordance between obesity categories (BMI) and high endomorphy. Boys tended to exhibit more mesomorphic somatotypes, while girls showed predominantly endomorphic somatotypes as BMI increased.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The analyzed population of children and adolescents showed a predominantly endomorphic somatotype with a low prevalence of obesity. The low concordance between nutritional status (BMI) and somatotype highlights the need for complementary criteria to evaluate body composition.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":50809,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Human Biology","volume":"37 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143769999","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Vanessa Regina Jung, Nikolas Mateus Pereira de Souza, Dhuli Kimberli Abeg da Rosa, João Francisco de Castro Silveira, Cézane Priscila Reuter, Alexandre Rieger
{"title":"Detection of Anemia in Schoolchildren Aged 6–18 Years With Hematocrit Percentile Charts and the Impact of Economic Status in Southern Brazil","authors":"Vanessa Regina Jung, Nikolas Mateus Pereira de Souza, Dhuli Kimberli Abeg da Rosa, João Francisco de Castro Silveira, Cézane Priscila Reuter, Alexandre Rieger","doi":"10.1002/ajhb.70034","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ajhb.70034","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Objective</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>To generate hematocrit percentile charts for schoolchildren aged 6–18 years and determine the prevalence of anemia by socioeconomic status class in southern Brazil.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This is a cross-sectional study utilizing data collected between 2014 and 2017 from southern Brazil. The study's sample consists of 4802 schoolchildren, aged 6 to 18 years. The percentile charts for sex-specific hematocrit were developed using the LMS (Lambda-Mu-Sigma) method. The simplified economic classification, based on ABEP criteria, was used to group individuals into A + B (high), C (middle), and D + E (low) income classes. Anemia was defined as hematocrit z-score ≤ −1.96 for age and sex.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Among boys, 58 (2.86%) were anemic, 1955 (94.81%) had normal hematocrit levels, and 48 (2.33%) had high hematocrit. Girls showed a similar pattern, with 73 (2.73%) anemic, 2534 (94.90%) with normal hematocrit, and 63 (2.36%) with high hematocrit. For girls, a higher prevalence of non-anemic hematocrit was observed in class A (39.33%) compared to anemic children (23.28%), with significant standardized residuals. For boys, significant residuals were observed for a higher prevalence of anemic children in the lower socioeconomic class DE (13.79%) compared to non-anemic children (5.18%), and a higher prevalence of non-anemic children in the upper socioeconomic class A (42.63%) compared to anemic children (22.41%).</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusion</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The percentile charts generated from hematocrit levels enabled the comparison of anemia prevalence across socioeconomic status classes. A higher prevalence of anemia was found among boys in lower socioeconomic classes, while girls in higher socioeconomic classes showed a lower prevalence of anemia.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":50809,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Human Biology","volume":"37 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-03-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ajhb.70034","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143741503","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Raissa Munhão Serra, Franciele De Meneck, Fernanda Thomazini, Paula Regina Pereira de Souza, Maria Franco
{"title":"The Complex Interplay of Irisin Levels, Low Birth Weight, and Blood Pressure in Prepubescent Children","authors":"Raissa Munhão Serra, Franciele De Meneck, Fernanda Thomazini, Paula Regina Pereira de Souza, Maria Franco","doi":"10.1002/ajhb.70036","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ajhb.70036","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Background</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Irisin regulates various metabolic, inflammatory, and oxidative stress processes. It has been considered a promising target in the context of the development and maintenance of cardiovascular diseases. We conducted a study to evaluate the levels of plasma irisin in prepubertal children, examining its relationship with birth weight, anthropometric parameters, biochemical profile, and blood pressure levels.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 136 prepubertal children aged 6 to 11 years, with 27.9% born at a low weight. Anthropometric parameters, blood pressure, and biochemical profiles were assessed.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Children with low birth weight had significantly lower irisin levels compared to those with normal birth weight (<i>p</i> < 0.001). Birth weight was negatively correlated with blood pressure levels (systolic: <i>r</i> = −0.213, <i>p =</i> 0.013; diastolic: <i>r</i> = −0.223, <i>p =</i> 0.009) and positively correlated with irisin levels (<i>p</i> < 0.001). Irisin levels were positively associated with systolic blood pressure, even after adjusting for birth weight, BMI, and physical activity (<i>p</i> < 0.001). The linear regression analysis indicated that low birth weight and high plasma levels of irisin were recognized as predictive factors of elevated blood pressure levels.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusion</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The positive correlation observed between circulating irisin and systolic blood pressure levels in children with low birth weight, despite their lower irisin levels, suggests a complex interplay between birth weight, irisin, cardiovascular regulation, and metabolic function. Understanding this relationship may require considering that irisin may play dual roles in different tissues, compensatory mechanisms, and the broader context of cardiometabolic programming in children with low birth weight.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":50809,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Human Biology","volume":"37 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-03-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143741502","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Noelia Bonfili, Lara Garnis, Mariela Nievas, Paula N. Gonzalez, Jimena Barbeito-Andrés
{"title":"Food Insecurity and Nutritional Status Among Pregnant Women Living in Socio-Economic Vulnerability in the Metropolitan Area of Buenos Aires (Argentina)","authors":"Noelia Bonfili, Lara Garnis, Mariela Nievas, Paula N. Gonzalez, Jimena Barbeito-Andrés","doi":"10.1002/ajhb.70033","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ajhb.70033","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Objective</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>To analyze food insecurity (FI) in pregnant women from the Metropolitan Area of Buenos Aires (AMBA) and its association with socio-economic variables and nutritional status, as well as to identify dietary patterns in women experiencing moderate and severe FI.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Between July 2021 and September 2023, an observational and cross-sectional study was performed. Data from 349 women was recorded in public health centers of disadvantaged urban areas. FI was assessed with the Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES), and the nutritional status was evaluated using the body mass index by gestational age. Chi-square, Spearman, and Wilcoxon tests were used to examine associations between FI, nutritional status, socioeconomic conditions, and dietary patterns.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Only 30% of interviewed women were classified as food secure, while 31% experienced moderate FI and 11.5% severe FI. Among socio-economic variables, fewer years of formal education and critical overcrowding were significantly associated with FI. A large part of the sample (68%) had some type of malnutrition (overweight or obesity: 52.7%, undernutrition: 11.2%), which was also significantly associated with FI. Dietary patterns differed between women with moderate and severe FI, with the latter consuming less healthy and more processed foods.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Our results suggest that women in reproductive ages living in urban areas from the AMBA region have elevated levels of FI, especially moderate FI, even when compared with other vulnerable populations from Latin America. This study confirmed that FI is related to different types of maternal malnutrition, which constitutes a prenatal adversity with diverse potential effects on the offspring.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":50809,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Human Biology","volume":"37 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-03-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143741557","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Self-Assessment of Mental and Physical Health of Adolescents (10–15 Years Old) From Kraków (Poland)","authors":"Julia Badzińska, Magdalena Żegleń, Łukasz Kryst","doi":"10.1002/ajhb.70039","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ajhb.70039","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The study aimed to examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on adolescents' mental and physical health. Using the Polish version of the Health Behavior in School-aged Children (HBSC) questionnaire, data were collected from adolescent participants (10–15 years old). The analysis was based on the frequency distribution of choices for individual statements. It was found that compared to the time before the pandemic, there was more frequent school-related stress, faster fatigue, and more frequent pain in various parts of the body. Adolescents also declared greater food consumption now than before the pandemic and increased consumption of sweets. The study provided important information indicating potential courses of action to improve the health and well-being of adolescents after the pandemic.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":50809,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Human Biology","volume":"37 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-03-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143741504","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Anushé Hassan, David W. Lawson, Abigail E. Page, Rebecca Sear, Susan B. Schaffnit, Mark Urassa
{"title":"Children's Caregiving and Growth in Northwestern Tanzania: Limited Evidence That Support From Specific Caregivers Is Associated With Better Growth","authors":"Anushé Hassan, David W. Lawson, Abigail E. Page, Rebecca Sear, Susan B. Schaffnit, Mark Urassa","doi":"10.1002/ajhb.70029","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ajhb.70029","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Receiving care from individuals other than one's mother (i.e., allomothering) is a universal aspect of raising children, but whether and how such care impacts children's health remains subject to debate. Existing studies in low-income societies largely use broad proxies for caregiving behaviors rather than measuring childcare activities, which may mask variation in allomothering and, thus, its impact on children's health. Using data collected to address these limitations we measure, for 808 children under 5 years in Northwestern Tanzania: (a) Maternal residence, (b) receipt of two childcare types from seven caregivers; and (c) children's growth (height-for-age and weight-for-height). We predict that (1) allomothering will be beneficial for children's growth and (2) benefits of allomothering will be most evident within mother nonresident households. We demonstrate that children receive care from a range of allomothers, even when mothers co-reside; and there are associations between care from different relatives. Receiving care from relatives of the same lineage tends to be positively associated, whereas care from fathers is negatively associated with care from maternal relatives. Maternal residence is not associated with child growth. We find little support for our predictions, with few and inconsistent associations between allomothering and child growth. Our findings suggest that our measures of care, while more nuanced than previous proxies, do not fully capture the complexity of caregiving. Pathways between allomothering and child growth may be further elucidated through more comprehensive care indicators, which specifically measure maternal need for help, and whether allomothering is in addition to, or substitutive of, maternal care.</p>","PeriodicalId":50809,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Human Biology","volume":"37 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-03-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ajhb.70029","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143707553","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"“Recent Research on the Human Biology of Pastoralists” by B. Campbell","authors":"Alexandre Fabre, Paul Guerry","doi":"10.1002/ajhb.70032","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ajhb.70032","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":50809,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Human Biology","volume":"37 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-03-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143689851","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Association Between Parity and Bone Mineral Density in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey","authors":"Cristina M. Gildee, Patricia Ann Kramer","doi":"10.1002/ajhb.70030","DOIUrl":"10.1002/ajhb.70030","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Objective</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Bone remodeling relies on a dynamic process of concurrent deposition and resorption of bone material, which regulates bone mineral density (BMD), a critical component of overall bone health. Chronic dysregulation of the remodeling process during an individual's life can result in low BMD, osteoporosis, reduced mineral reserves and/or increased fracture risk. Prior studies have investigated the link between parity and BMD, positing that one cost of reproduction is increased bone resorption above deposition, resulting in net BMD loss. Further, bone remodeling is sensitive to repetitive mechanical loading, suggesting that differences in bone loading could modify associations between parity and BMD. We seek to understand how reproductive investment (using parity as a proxy) challenges bone remodeling.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>We examined associations between parity and regional BMD using anthropometric, dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, and questionnaire data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2007–2018 cohorts; <i>n</i> = 5144).</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>In unadjusted linear regressions, higher parity was associated with lower BMD in all regions except the thoracic spine, arms, and total BMD (<i>p</i> < 0.004). In regressions adjusting for BMI and age, parity was positively associated with BMD in the pelvis, arms, and total BMD (<i>p</i> < 0.004). The maximally controlled models, which adjust for race/ethnicity, sedentary time, poverty income ratio, and lifetime estrogen exposure, among other health and lifestyle variables, yielded similar results.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Discussion</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Our results suggest that more rigorous statistical modeling and selection of reproductive cost variables may help explicate the biological mechanisms underlying conflicting parity-BMD associations and their impact on bone health and aging.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":50809,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Human Biology","volume":"37 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-03-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143677354","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}