The Impact of Childhood Obesity on Bone Strength and Growth
Imaging and computational modelling of bone adaptation in children and adolescents.
Children with obesity are at greater risk of fractures despite having higher bone mineral density. Our lab uses advanced musculoskeletal imaging (HR-pQCT) alongside computational modelling to investigate bone microarchitecture and biomechanical properties of bone during growth.
Our goal is to understand how obesity alters the growing skeleton in order to improve fracture risk assessment and develop strategies to promote lifelong bone health. We study how changes in bone structure, body composition, metabolism, and mechanical loading may contribute to altered bone adaptation in children and adolescents with obesity.
Methods
- HR-pQCT imaging
- Computational modelling
- Body composition measures
- Biomechanical analysis
- Pediatric cohort studies
Research Focus
This project bridges clinical imaging and computational biomechanics to understand why higher bone mass does not always translate into stronger bones during growth.