The University of Kent has released evidence of a biorhythm in human primary teeth which can be linked to adolescent weight gain.
Researchers led by Dr Patrick Mahoney at Kent’s School of Anthropology and Conservation discovered that in primary (‘milk’) molars or Retzius periodicity (RP) with a faster dental biorhythm there were smaller gains in weight and mass.
The media outlet EurekaAlert! explains: “RP forms through a circadian-like process, occurring with a repeat interval that can be measured with a resolution of days. The rhythm relates to the period in which tooth enamel forms and is consistent within the permanent molars of individuals that do not retain evidence of developmental stress. The human modal RP has a near seven-day cycle but can vary from five to 12 days.”
Of the group of 61 adolescents, those with a faster biorhythm (five or six-day cycle) not only weighed less but also gained less weight and had the smallest change in their body mass index (BMI) over a 14-month period.
Individuals with slower biorhythm were six times more likely to have a high BMI.