Rail-thin bodies bad for your bones in the long run

Girls suffering through the insecurities of puberty are often
likely to yearn for the rail-thin bodies of supermodels plastered
across the typical supermarket glossy.

But, as new research shows, puberty is a crucial time for a woman to love those curves. In a study to be published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, scientists found that fat mass helps build bone mass, particularly in girls.
   

Add brittle bones to the long list of physical and psychological
damage caused by an eating disorder — the research could have
implications for “whether development of the female skeleton is
preferentially affected by conditions such as anorexia nervosa
associated with reduced fat mass,” the study said.

Scientists aren’t quite clear on why exactly a woman’s fat content
makes a difference. Some of that bone accrual is likely a response to
the stress caused by the weight her skeleton is carrying; the study’s
authors also suggest a possible relationship with estrogen levels.
   

Whatever the underlying causes are, given the post-menopausal
specter of osteoporosis, it’s important to encourage a healthy body
image. Not only is skin-and-bones an unflattering look, it’s bad for
your bones in the long run.