Why Does Bone Growth Matter?

Children need adequate nutrients to support growth and development, and the consequences of inadequate nutrition in childhood can be serious. Children who do not get complete, balanced nutrition for extended periods may experience nutrient deficiencies, growth faltering, impaired cognitive development, and compromised immune function.

Linear Bone Growth

The most important target organ for linear growth is the epiphyseal growth plate, a layer of cartilaginous tissue growing near both ends of the long bones in children and adolescents. Linear growth is the result of a cascade of events that take place in the growth plate—the growth center of bones.

Linear growth is predominantly regulated by Growth Hormone (GH) in childhood, which is synthesized and secreted by specific cells in the pituitary gland. The secretion of Growth Hormone, which is key for bone growth and helps determine the growth curve of each individual child.

A growing body of research has shown that the amino acid arginine stimulates the acute release of growth hormone and it has been proposed to play a role in linear growth. Linear growth is the result of events that take place in the growth plate – the growth center of the long bones.

A fat-soluble vitamin critical for mineralization to support strong bones, vitamin K2, especially menaquinone-7 (MK-7) form, is an important nutrient that activates a transporter to bind and deliver calcium to bones.

The height that a child ultimately achieves as an adult is the sum of all these processes that occur at the growth plate of long bones.[1] Genetic factors such as parental height is an important determinant of a child’s height, but environmental factors, such as nutrition, especially in the first five years of life play a greater role in bone growth.

Importance of Bone Growth

Pediatric malnutrition, or undernutrition, is defined as an imbalance between nutrient requirements and intake, resulting in deficiencies that may negatively affect growth, development, and other relevant outcomes. Without proper intake of nutrients, children can be at risk for significant immune deficiencies, compromised cognitive function, behavioral problems, diminished bone health, and decreased muscle mass, especially if undernutrition is chronic in duration or stunting has occurred.

As the growth plate matures during childhood, its total width decreases and eventually disappears at the end of puberty. When skeletal maturity is reached after puberty, all cartilage is replaced by bone and there is a fusing of the growth plate so no more growth can be achieved.[1] Therefore, early identification and timely intervention are critical to help restore normal growth and development.

Nutrition is one of the most important environmental factors influencing growth and is especially important during early childhood, as approximately 60% of adult height is achieved by age five. That is why bone growth is so important and why making sure a child receive the proper nutrients from the start of life is equally as important.

Regular intake of Vitamin K2 and Arginine is important for healthy growth and development, so maintaining a diet for children that is rich in both is key. When children get the nutrition they need, they are set up to live long, healthy lives.

Providing an oral nutritional supplement like PediaSure Plus can help provide the proper nutrition a child needs by helping fill nutritional gaps. PediaSure Plus has 37 vital growth nutrients and a triple protein complex clinically proven to support muscle and bone growth, now has added Arginine and Vitamin K2.  PediaSure Plus is proven to provide 1.5 times faster growth to help children can reach their full growth potential.

Be part of the growing group of moms who are using the child height predictor to monitor their children’s height and ensure the achievement of their maximum growth potential.

About Abbott

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