Impact of Childhood Obesity on Bone Metabolism.

Childhood obesity is a considerable worldwide health problem and a major risk factor for several chronic diseases. Fat rich diets result in altered serum levels of lipids, cytokines and hormonal factors, which influence skeletal acquisition and promote microstructural and mechanical behavior changes in bone, especially to bone quality and quantity. However, the possible longterm implications of high-fat diets in childhood are controversial. Despite not fully understood, multiple signaling pathways which support bone tissue homeostasis are altered under hyperlipidic conditions, including RANKL/RANK/OPG, PPAR-γ/Alox5/5-LO, leptin/IGF-I/AGE, ApoE/Lrp-1, Thy-1, IL-6, TNFα, calcium, vitamin D and K metabolism. Moreover, the expression of reactive oxygen species is also modified. Considering the importance of this subject, the aim of this review was to explore the mechanisms of bone formation affected by obesity during childhood during childhood.