The cover illustration of the thesis is a graph of osteocalcins natural pattern in serum, one of the main results, together with factors that may impact both osteocalcin-levels and later health. DNA illustration by Henrietta Nyvang.

Sara Berggren: Early hormone levels linked to weight and brain development

Published

20 November 2024

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Obesity is a global health issue that often begins in childhood. Sara Berggren has studied the hormone osteocalcin and its relationship with children’s body composition, growth, and cognitive development. Her findings may influence future health recommendations.

Sara Berggren is a general practitioner at Hylte Health Center and a doctoral student at the Institute of Clinical Sciences.

SARA BERGGREN
Dissertation defense: 6 December 2024 (click for details)
Doctoral thesis: Osteocalcin and Parental Perceptions. Childhood osteocalcin and its association to early growth, body composition and neurodevelopment along with parental perceptions on childhood overweight and obesity
Research area: Pediatrics
Sahlgrenska Academy, The Institute of Clinical Sciences

Osteocalcin, which plays a role in various physiological processes, is produced in bone tissue, with levels peaking during the first year of life. In her thesis, Sara Berggren explored how this hormone is related to children’s future health. She also examined parents’ perceptions of their children’s weight to improve care for children with overweight and obesity.

“We found that parents often failed to recognize that their child had overweight. This can make it harder to intervene and promote healthy weight development, as acknowledging the problem is crucial to starting change,” says Sara Berggren, a general practitioner at Hylte Health Center and a doctoral student at the Institute of Clinical Sciences.

Figure from the thesis. Osteocalcin is produced by osteoblasts but it is the decarboxylation-process that makes osteocalcin loose its affinity for bone, which enables osteocalcin to enter the bloodstream as an active hormone.

Linked to intelligence

Another part of her research focuses on osteocalcin and its role in children’s development. Sara Berggren has shown that early-life hormone levels are associated with body composition and cognitive development years later.

“Osteocalcin in three-year-old girls was linked to the amount of fat mass at age eight, while in boys at age five, the hormone was associated with fat-free mass, such as muscle and bone,” says Sara Berggren, adding:

“Additionally, we found that osteocalcin levels at four months of age were linked to both intelligence and motor development at age four. The fact that osteocalcin early in life has been associated to later growth, body composition, and brain development is particularly intriguing because its levels also associate to modifiable lifestyle factors, such as mode of delivery and breastfeeding.”

Figure from the thesis. Osteocalcin is produced by the skeleton and some of the target organs are illustrated in this figure. Among other functions osteocalcin plays a part in insulin secretion, glucose homeostasis, energy storage and brain function.

Potential impact on public health

What practical implications could your findings have?
“If further research confirms causality, the knowledge about osteocalcin could significantly impact public health and the advice provided to parents.”

What has been the most rewarding part of the doctoral project?
“It has been incredibly interesting to dive deep into this relatively unexplored field. Being part of the Halland Health and Growth Study and collaborating with colleagues from different disciplines to improve the future for the next generation has been very fulfilling.”

And the most challenging part?
“It can be frustrating that many things move slowly in the research world and that there is still so much we know so little about.”

Text: Jakob Lundberg

Area

Health and medicine