TOTAL-BODY AND REGIONAL BONE-MINERAL CONTENT AND AREAL BONE-MINERAL DENSITY IN CHILDREN AGED 8-18Y - THE FELS LONGITUDINAL-STUDY

Background: Techniques for cross-calibration of bone mineral content ( BMC) and bone mineral density (BMD) between manufacturers of dual-ener gy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) instruments are currently inadequate for total body measurements. Therefore, manufacturer-specific data for BM C and BMD in children are needed. Objective: We provided age- and sex- specific means and SDs for total-body and regional BMC and areal BMD i n 8-18-y-old white children. Design: BMC and BMD of the head, arms, le gs, pelvis, spine, and total body were determined by DXA. Data include 465 annual measurements from 148 healthy children with body weights b etween 30 and 100 kg and statures < 190 cm. Results: There were signif icant sex differences in BMC at ages 15-18 y for the total body and le gs, at ages 12 and 15-18 y for arms and pelvis, at ages 11-13 and 16-1 8 y for the spine, and at ages 10-11 y for the head. There were signif icant sex differences in BMD at ages 16-18 y for total body, arms, and legs; at ages 12-13 and 16-18 y for the pelvis; at ages 12-14 and 18 y for the spine; and at ages 13-18 y for the head. Conclusions: Data p resented in this investigation can be used to compare the BMC and BMD of 8-18-y-old white children (with statures <190 cm and body weights b etween 30 and 100 kg) using DXA.