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Children of parents with low bone mineral density (BMD) may have an increased risk of low BMD and of osteoporosis. Researchers studied 28 children from 16 families to analyze children's and parents' BMD. BMD in children was associated with age, stage of puberty, weight, height, and body mass. Children's BMD was related to the father's bone density, premenopausal mother's bone density, and the average of the mother's and father's bone densities. Neither daily calcium intake nor children's activity level correlated with children's BMD. Genetic and environmental factors may determine a child's BMD. Osteoporosis may be prevented by not losing too much weight, avoiding cigarette smoking and caffeine, and adding loading forces on the bone, as in weight lifting. Most of an adult's bone mass is acquired by late adolescence.

Some complications of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, such as neuropathy and nephropathy, can be alleviated by pancreatic transplantation and islet cell replacement therapy. Diabetic neuropathy refers to functional changes in the peripheral nervous system as a result of diabetes. Disorders of the kidneys as a result of diabetes are referred to as diabetic nephropathies. The part of the pancreas known as the islets of Langerhans manufactures insulin which is essential to the metabolism of carbohydrates. A review of 276 pancreas transplants between 1978 and 1988 found an increasing survival rate as new techniques were used. The more recent transplants drained pancreatic secretions into the bladder or small intestine. Combined pancreas and kidney transplants seemed most likely to ensure pancreatic survival. Triple immunosuppressive therapy was also found to be important in preventing graft rejection. Transplantation of islet cells has also been tried as a method of regulating insulin, but the success rate has not been high and the availability is limited.