Children gain height faster than they gain bone mineral content, which may increase their risk of fractures later in life, according to a study of over 2,000 healthy children, adolescents, and young adults. The study yielded the following results:

• By age 7 years, children have already reached up to 74.5% of their maximal adult height, but only up to 38.1% of the maximal bone mineral content.
• Teens gained as much as 35.8% of their maximal bone mineral content during the 4 years around their peak height velocity.
• Up to 10.7% of the maximal bone mineral content is achieved during late adolescence.
• The lag in mineral content relative to height gain puts individuals at greater risk of fracture and may warrant clinical and public health efforts to build bone mass.