TUESDAY, Dec. 4 (HealthDay News) -- Depression and smoking appear to have a negative impact on bone accrual in adolescent girls, according to a study published online Dec. 4 in the Journal of Adolescent Health.
To examine the impact of depression, anxiety, smoking, and alcohol use on bone accrual during adolescence, Lorah D. Dorn, Ph.D., from the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, and colleagues measured total bone mineral content and bone mineral density (lumbar spine and total hip) at three annual visits in 262 healthy girls aged 11 to 19 years.
The researchers found that higher-frequency smokers had a lower rate of lumbar spine and total hip bone mineral density accrual. Those reporting more depressive symptoms had lower lumbar spine bone mineral density at all ages, although depressive symptoms did not affect total body bone mineral content. Alcohol intake was found to be unrelated to bone outcome.
"To our knowledge, our study is the first to test and demonstrate that smoking behavior and depressive symptoms in girls have a negative impact on bone accrual in adolescence," Dorn and colleagues conclude. "These findings have import for prevention of later osteoporosis and fractures."
Abstract
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