Measurement of bone mineral density of the lumbar spine and femur in normal Saudi children and adolescents using dual x-ray absorptiometry

Objective: To establish the normative data of bone mineral density in healt hy Saudi children 5 - 20 years of age. Methods: Measurements of bone mineral density of the lumbar spine and proxi mal femur were performed in one center (King Khalid University Hospital bet ween 1988 and 1996) using dual x-ray densitometry. Bone mineral density of the lumbar spine and 3 femoral sites was performed on 109 healthy Saudi fem ales and 116 Saudi males, 5-20 years of age. Results: Multiple linear regression analysis was derived to predict the bon e mineral density values as a function of age, weight and body mass index u sing linear regression equation (Y = a + b age). A remarkable increase in b one mineral density was observed at age 7-8 and 13-14 (puberty) in both sex es. The lumbar spine bone mineral density of the Saudi children was markedl y lower than that of the caucasian Americans especially at age 5-6 (-10% in male and -14% in female) and age 11-12 (-17% in male and -12% in female). Conclusion: Bone mineral density in Saudi children and adolescents is low c ompared to caucasian Americans, and further studies should be encouraged to study the effect of life style, exposure to sun, physical activity; milk a nd dairy product consumption, and geographical location, on bone mineral de nsity measurements.