Summary
Normative values for total body bone mineral content (TBBM) and total body bone mineral density (TBMD) were derived from measurements on 234 children 8–16 years of age. In addition, bone mineral content (BMC) and bone mineral density (BMD) values for selected regions of interest and soft tissue (bone free lean and fat) for the total body are presented. Bone mineral and soft tissue values were determined by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) using a Hologic QDR-2000 in the array mode. Results of a stepwise multiple regression analysis revealed a significant correlation between bone-free lean tissue (BFLT) and BMD (r2 = 0.80) in girls. Adding age to the equation accounted for an additional 2% of the variance (P < 0.05) and height accounted for another 1% of the variance (P < 0.05). Body weight and fat tissue (FT) did not account for any additional variance. In boys BFLT correlated significantly with BMD (r2 = 0.75;P < 0.05); none of the other predictor variables accounted for additional variance. No significant differences were found in TBBM or TBMD between boys and girls at any age. There was a significant overall gender effect for only three regions of interest. Boys had greater BMC in the head region and had greater BMD in the upper limbs, but post hoc analysis revealed no significant differences for any specific age groups. Girls had greater overall BMD in the pelvis, but this difference was only significant at the 15–6-year age group. The changes in BFLT and FT over the age ranges were consistent with the growth literature.
The normative values can be applied to the assessment of children and adolescents with health problems that may impact on the skeleton as well as to research studies investigating bone mineral development in children.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Klemm T, Banzer DH, Schneider U (1976) Bone mineral content of the growing skeleton. Am J Roentgenol 126:1283–1284
Henderson RC (1991) Assessment of bone mineral content in children. J Pediatr Orthop 11(3):314–317
Southard RN, Morris JD, Mahan JD, Hayes JR, Torch MA, Sommer A, Zipf WB (1991) Bone mass in healthy children: measurement with quantitative DXA. Radiology 179:735–738
Riggs BL, Wahner HW, Dunn WL, Mazess RB, Offord KP, Melton LJ (1981) Differential changes in bone mineral density of the appendicular and axial skeleton with aging. J Clin Invest 67:328–335
Riggs BI, Wahner HW, Melton J, Richelson LS, Judd HL, Offord KP (1986) Rates of bone loss in the appendicular and axial skeletons of women. J Clin Invest 77:1487–1491
Hui SL, Slemenda CW, Johnston PH, Johnston CC (1989) Baseline measurements of bone mass predicts fracture in white women. Ann Intern Med 111:355–361
Gotfredsen A, Podenphant J, Nilas L, Christiansen C (1989) Discriminative ability of total body bone mineral by dual photon absorptiometry. Scand J Clin Lab Invest 49:125–134
Mazess RB, Peppler WW, Chesney RW, Lange TA, Lindgren U, Smith E (1984) Total body and regional bone mineral by dual-photon absorptiometry in metabolic disease. Calcif Tissue Int 36:8–13
Katzman DK, Bachrach LK, Carter DR, Marcus R (1991) Clinical and anthropometric correlates of bone mineral acquisition in healthy adolescent girls. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 73(6):1332–1339
Glastre C, Braillon P, David L, Cochat P, Meunier PJ, Delmas PD (1990) Measurement of bone mineral content of the lumbar spine by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry in normal children: correlations with growth parameters. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 70(5):1330–1333
McCormick DP, Ponder SW, Fawcett HD, Palmer JL (1991) Spinal bone mineral bone density in 335 normal and obese children and adolescents: evidence for ethnic and sex differences. J Bone Miner Res 6(5):507–513
Bonjour JP, Theintz G, Buchs B, Slosman D, Rizzoli R (1991) Critical years and stages of puberty for spinal and femoral bone mass accumulation during adolescence. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 73(3):555–563
Kroger H, Kotaniemi A, Vainio P, Alhava E (1992) Bone densitometry of the spine and femur in children by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Bone Miner 17:75–85
Geusens P, Cantatore F, Nijs J, Proesmans W, Emma F, Dequeker J (1991) Heterogeneity of growth of bone in children at the spine, radius and total skeleton. Growth Dev Aging 55:249–256
Rico H, Vevilla M, Hernandez ER, Villa LF, Alvarez del Buergo M (1992) Sex differences in the acquisition of total bone mineral mass peak assessed through dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Calcif Tissue Int 51:251–254
Gordon CC, Chumlea WC, Roche AF (1988) Stature, recumbent length and weight. In: Lohman TG, Roche AF, Martorell R (eds) Anthropometric standardization reference manual. Human Kinetics, Champaign, pp 3–8
Slosman DO, Rizzoli R, Donath A, Bonjour J (1990) Vertebral bone mineral density measured laterally by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Osteoporosis Int 1:23–29
Statview SE/Graphics (1988) Abacus Concepts Inc., Berkeley, California
Dequeker J, Geusens P (1990) Osteoporosis and ostearthritis. Ann Rheum Dis 49:276–280
Ott SM (1991) Bone density in adolescents. N Engl J Med 325(23):1646–1647
Ponder SW, McCormick DP, Fawcett HD, Palmer JL, McKernan MG, Brouhard BH (1990) Spinal bone mineral density in children aged 5.00 through 11.99 years. AJDC 144:1346–1348
Gilsanz V, Gibbens DT, Roe TF, Carlson M, Senac MO, Boechat MI, Huang HK, Schulz EE, Libanati CR, Cann CC (1988) Vertebral bone density in children: effect of puberty. Radiology 166:847–850
Gorden Cl, Halton JM, Atkinson SA (1991) The contributions of growth and puberty to peak bone mass. Growth Dev Aging 55:257–262
Raisz LG (1988) Local and systemic factors in the pathogenesis of osteoporosis. N Engl J Med 318:818–828
Thomas KA, Cook SD, Bennett JT, Whitecloud III TS, Rice JC (1991) Femoral neck and lumbar spine bone mineral densities in a normal population 3–20 years of age. J Pediatr Orthop 11(1):48–58
Ott SM (1990) Editorial: Attainment of peak bone mass. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 71(5):1082A-1082C
Malina RM, Bouchard C (1991) Growth maturation and physical activity. Human Kinetics, Champaign
Snow-Harter C, Marcus R (1991) Exercise, bone mineral density, and osteoporosis. Exerc Sport Sci Rev 19:351–388
Doyle FJ, Brown J, LaChance C (1970) Relation between bone mass and muscle weight. Lancet 1:391–393
Aloia JF, Cohn SH, Babu T, Adesamis C, Kalici N (1978) Skeletal mass and body composition in marathon runners. Metabolism 27:1793–1796
Sinaki M, Offord KP (1988) Physical activity in postmenopausal women: effect on back muscle strength and bone mineral density of the spine. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 69:277–280
Bevier WC, Stefanick ML, Wood PD (1988) Bone density, aerobic capacity and body composition of moderately overweight adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc S60 (Abst)
Beverly MC, Rider TA, Evans MJ, Smith R (1989) Local bone mineral response to brief exercise that stresses the skeleton. Br Med J 299:223–235
Snow-Harter C, Bouxsein M, Lewis B, Charette S, Weinstein P, Marcus R (1990) Muscle strength as a predictor of bone mineral density in young women. J Bone Miner Res 5:589–595
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Faulkner, R.A., Bailey, D.A., Drinkwater, D.T. et al. Regional and total body bone mineral content, bone mineral density, and total body tissue composition in children 8–16 years of age. Calcif Tissue Int 53, 7–12 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01352007
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01352007