Subcutaneous fat and body fat mass have different effects on bone development at the forearm in children and adolescents

The present study investigated whether subcutaneous fat differs in the impact on bone development from fat mass (FM). We analyzed 295 healthy children and adolescents (age 5-19 years, 139 males) for FM by measuring four skinfold thicknesses and for bone development and body composition at the forearm by peripheral quantitative computed tomography in a cross-sectional investigation. Relative cross-sectional fat area (FA) was a surrogate for relative subcutaneous FM at the forearm and was associated positively with percent fat in prepubertal individuals and pubertal females but negatively in pubertal males. Percent FM was associated with trabecular bone mineral density (BMDtrab) in prepubertal individuals (females r = 0.394, males r = 0.242) and pubertal individuals (females r = 0.215, males r = -0.275). Bone mineral count was correlated with percent FM in pubertal males (r = -0.287). FA was correlated with BMDtrab (r = 0.285) and with cortical bone mineral density (BMDcort, r = -0.296) in pubertal females. The ratio FA/ FM was negatively correlated with BMDcort (r = -0.299) in pubertal females. Pubertal females with relatively high subcutaneous fat area (high ratio FA/FM) were characterized by lower bone strength (P = 0.047). FM and the relative amount of subcutaneous fat have effects on bone formation and resorption that depend on gender and puberty. Especially in pubertal females, higher levels of subcutaneous fat may decrease bone strength due to increased cortical remodeling.