In order to set up cost-effective programmes promoting healthy growth in body composition, more attention should be paid to what factors contribute to intra- and inter-individual variation in BM, LM and FM during adolescent growth, and in what ways. Although it is well known that the components of body composition track, especially from adolescence onwards, there is a paucity of information on how bone, muscle and fat tissues change during the rapid phase of adolescent growth, and when non-optimal body composition characteristics can be detected.Įarly identification of the risk factors for future diseases is the first step towards effective prevention strategies. Together these studies emphasized that when studying the development of body composition, bone mass (BM), lean mass (LM), and fat mass (FM) should be considered together.Ĭhanges in BM, LM and FM during puberty are indicators of metabolic processes, and thus hold pertinent information regarding current and future health. A recent finding in an animal study showed that bone exerts an endocrine regulation of energy homeostasis. Furthermore, leptin, an adipocyte-derived hormone, is a major regulator of bone remodelling. As muscle and adipose tissue are closely linked anatomically, biologically and pathologically, study of the interrelationship between these two tissues is of great importance in understanding the pathogenesis and development of diseases related to obesity and physical activity/inactivity.

Skeletal muscle, acting in conjunction with energy expenditure and related hormone regulation, is one of the major tissues responsible for metabolic status.

The biology of bone, muscle and fat tissues and their associated disorders such as obesity, osteoporosis and sarcopenia are closely inter-related and share several common origins, including genetic and environmental factors.

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