Mahoney P, McFarlane G, Loch C, White S, Floyd B, Dunn EC, Pitfield R, Nava A, Guatelli-Steinberg D. Dental biorhythm is associated with adolescent weight gain.
Commun Med 2022;
2:99. [PMID:
36016726 PMCID:
PMC9395425 DOI:
10.1038/s43856-022-00164-x]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Background
Evidence of a long-period biological rhythm present in mammalian hard tissue relates to species average body mass. Studies have just begun to investigate the role of this biorhythm in human physiology.
Methods
The biorhythm is calculated from naturally exfoliated primary molars for 61 adolescents. We determine if the timing relates to longitudinal measures of their weight, height, lower leg length and body mass collected over 14 months between September 2019 to October 2020. We use univariate and multivariate statistical analyses to isolate and identify relationships with the biorhythm.
Results
Participants with a faster biorhythm typically weigh less each month and gain significantly less weight and mass over 14-months, relative to those with a slower biorhythm. The biorhythm relates to sex differences in weight gain.
Conclusions
We identify a previously unknown factor that associates with the rapid change in body size that accompanies human adolescence. Our findings provide a basis from which to explore novel relationships between the biorhythm and weight-related health risks.
The human body undergoes cyclic changes such as the daily cycle of sleeping and waking, and monthly menstruation. This study calculated one cycle that can be tracked through the growth of children’s milk teeth. The timing of the cycle in different children was compared to changes in body size that occurred when these children were in puberty. A link was seen between the children’s cycle and the weight they gained over 14-months. Adolescents with a faster cycle typically weighed less each month and gained less weight over 14 months compared to those with a slower cycle.
Mahoney et al. calculate the long-term biorhythm of adolescents from primary molar teeth and examine the relationship with weight, height and mass. Faster biorhythms are associated with a lower weight, and reduced weight and mass gain during adolescence.
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