Blood Fatty โฃAcid Profile Linked to Bone Growth in Children & Adolescents
A new study from the University of Eastern Finland reveals a connection between theโ composition of โคfatty acids in blood and bone mineral density development during childhood and adolescence. Researchers followed 480 โchildren (227 girls and 253 boys) overโฃ an eight-year period,finding โthat specific fatty acids circulating in the blood could predict changes in bone density. The โfindings, published in the journal of Bone and Mineral Research,โข suggest that fatty acid โขmetabolism plays a significant role in healthy bone development.
The research demonstrated that higher levels of arachidonic acid were associated with increased bone density during the study period. Furthermore,โ increased activity of enzymes involved in fatty acid metabolism, specifically delta-6 desaturase, also โขcorrelated with higher bone density. Conversely,a greater proportion of linolic acid in the โคblood was linkedโข toโข lower bone density.
Researchers emphasize that simply categorizing โคfatty acids into broad groups (saturated, monounsaturated, polyunsaturated) isn’t โขsufficient for understanding their impact on bone health. individual fatty acids within these groups canโข have differing effects. The study alsoโฃ acknowledges that muscle and โfat mass contribute to these observed associations.
“This is the first study to demonstrate โthat the fatty acid composition of theโ blood in childhood โcan predict โฃthe development โof bone density into adolescence,” stated Professor Timo Lakka, Director of theโ PANIC study. “Our โresults indicate โฃthat fatty โคacid metabolism is an important factor in the healthy development of โขbones.”
Associate Professor Sonja Soininen, responsibleโค for the bone health section of the study, highlighted the complexity of the findings. “Interestingly,not all fatty acids โฃwithin the same group are associated with bone health in the sameโข way – some appear toโ be positively โคassociatedโข with bone development,while others are linked toโข less optimal outcomes. This reflects the complexity โof metabolismโ and itsโ significance for bone development.”
The โstudy utilized data from the Physical Activity and Nutrition in Children (PANIC) study, a long-term investigation initiated in 2007. Blood samples were analyzed using gas chromatography to measure fattyโ acidโ levels in plasma phospholipids, while bone density and body composition were assessed โusing a DXA device.โฃ Theโฃ PANIC study, which began with over 500 children, is currently in โขits 16-year follow-up โคphase, continuing until the endโ of 2026.
These resultsโ provide new insights into the relationship between fatty acid metabolism โขand bone development in children and may inform future nutritional strategiesโ aimed atโ promoting bone health.
Source: University ofโ Eastern โคFinland โข(UEF Viestintรค). https://www.uef.fi/en/article/fatty-acid-composition-of-blood-predicts-bone-density-from-childhood-to-adolescence
Journal Reference: Lakka, T.โ A., et al. (2025). Plasma fatty acid composition predicts bone mineral accrual from childhood to โฃadolescence: the PANIC study.Journal of Bone โand Mineral Research. https://doi.org/10.1093/jbmr/zjaf104