Identification of dietary factors and hormones related to bone metabolism that contribute to the decrease of bone strength during pregnancy and lactation

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K00887
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Eating habits
• Research Institution: Nakamura Gakuen College
• Principal Investigator: KAWATE HISAYA 中村学園大学, 栄養科学部, 教授 (20336027)
• Research Collaborator: FUKUHARA MASAO ; KAWASAKI HARUKA
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 骨粗鬆症 / 妊娠 / 骨密度

Outline of Final Research Achievements

99 pregnant women less than 14 weeks of pregnancy were registered, and physical measurements, life-style survey, bone ultrasonography and blood tests were performed five times at the first and third trimester, 1, 4 and 12 months after delivery. Bone ultrasound values in the first trimester was significantly lower in the group with birth experience than in the group without birth experience. Positive correlation was found between bone ultrasound values for height, weight, abdominal circumference, and weight before pregnancy in the first trimester. Blood prolactin level at the third trimester and estradiol level at 12 months after delivery showed significant positive correlation with bone ultrasound values.
Moreover, when the factors related to the bone ultrasound value were searched for 631 female university students, skeletal muscle mass, BMI, body weight were positively correlated, and resting heart rate was negatively correlated with bone ultrasound values.

Free Research Field

食生活学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では、妊娠・授乳期の踵骨骨超音波値が、特に授乳期に低下傾向を認め、妊娠前の体重および測定時の体重と負の相関を認めた。また女子大学生における解析でも、骨超音波値は、体重、骨格筋量と正の相関を認めた。妊娠前にやせを認める場合には、妊娠・授乳期の一時的な骨密度低下で、妊娠・授乳関連骨粗鬆症を発症するリスクが高くなるため、妊娠前に食事・運動療法などにより適正体重を維持し、骨量を増加させておくことが重要であると考えられた。